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OF 

STANDARD  CATHOLIC  BOOKS 

PUBLISHED    BT 

F.  LUCAS,  Jr. 

JVo.  138  Market  street,  Baltimore. 


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STANDARD  CATHOLIC  BOOKS 


FUBU3HE0  BT 


F.  LUCAS,  Jr. 

JVo.  138  Market  street ,  Baltimore, 


THE  HOLY  BIBLE,  in  quarto,  translated  from  the  Latin  vul- 
gate,  diligently  compared  with  the  Hebrew  and  Greek  editions; 
with  references  and  an  historical  and  chronological  index,  by  the 
Right  Rev.  Dr.  Challoner.  This  valuable  work  is  embellished 
with  11  elegant  engravings,  on  the  following  subjects: 

1.  Frontispiece. 

2.  A  view  of  the  Cathedral,  and  a  fac  simile  of  the  appro- 
bation of  the  Most  Rev.  Archbishop. 

3.  The  Tower  of  Babel. 

4.  Moses  at  the  Burning  Bush. 

5.  The  Temptation  of  Job. 

6.  The  Vision  of  Daniel. 

7.  The  Wise  Men  offering  Presents. 

8.  Christ  before  the  Doctors. 

9.  Little  Children  brought  to  Christ.  '' 

10.  Christ  giving  Peter  the  Keys. 

11.  Judaa  taking  the  price  of  Blood. 

In  plain  binding,  $7,50. 
T/ie  above  may  be  had  in  calf,  extra,  morocco,  or  russia  binding. 

Approbation  of  the  Most  Reverend  Archbishop  of  Baltimore. 
This  stereotype  edition  of  the  Doway  Bible,  is  published  by  Fielding  Lucas, 
Jr.  Baltimore,  with  our  entire  approbation,  and  we  do  hereby  recommend  it 
as  a  genuine  copy  of  the  excellent  translation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  long 
since  sanctioned  by  the  Prelates  of  America  and  Europe. 

{Seal)  t  JAMES,  Archbishop  of  Baltimore. 

E.  DAMPHOUX,  Secretary. 

Another  edition  beautifully  printed  on  a  superfine  wove  royal 
paper,  embellished  in  the  same  manner  as  the  preceding,  neatly 
bound,  $10;  also  in  fine,  super,  and  super  extra  binding,  from  $12 
to  |20  per  copy. 

^^Tliis  edition  is  the  handsomest  that  has  ever  been  printed  in  Viit 
(ountry. 

1 


4  Standard  Catholic  Books 

THE  NEW  TESTAMENT,  translated  from  the  latin  vulgate, 
diligently  compared  with  the  original  Greek, 

32  mo.,  plain  binding,     50  cts 
^Inother  edition  on  superfine  paper,         .         .         .         .     62i 
Another  edition  beautifully  pnnted  on  superfine  wove  Post, 
with  large  margins,       .         .         .         .         -         .         .         .     87i 
S^The  above  may  be  had  in  calf,  extra,  raorocco,(with  or  with- 
out tuck,)  and  russia  binding. 

Another  edition,  12  mo.  plain  binding,     50  cts. 
do         do  do       half  binding,     37 i 

THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  OLD  AND  NEW  TESTAMENT, 

interspersed  with  moral  and  instructive  reflections,  chiefly  taken 
from  the  Holy  Fathers. — By  J.  Reeve. 

8vo,,  plain  binding,  $1.25. 

In  the  historical  account,  which  is  here  given  of  the  Inspired  Writings,  the 
thread  of  the  narration  is  carefully  connected,  and  carried  on  with  as  few 
interruptions  as  the  nature  of  the  work  will  allow.  Facts  are  related  as  they 
occur,  according  to  the  order  of  time,  in  which  they  happened,  and  not  accor- 
ding to  the  arrangement  of  books,  as  they  stand  in  tiie  common  Bible.  From 
the  creation  of  the  world  to  the  coming  of  our  blessed  Saviour,  the  best  chro- 
nologists  reckon  four  thousand  years,  which  they  divide  into  six  unequal 
periods,  called  ages.  This  computation  of  years  is  carefully  marked  at  the 
head  of  each  paragraph,  and  this  division  of  time  into  ages  is  regularly 
observed, as  a  relief  to  the  reader's  memory,  in  helping  him  to  fix  and  retain 
the  date  of  memorable  events. 

A  HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH,  from  its  establishment  to 
the  Reformation. — By  the  Rev.  C.  C.  Pise,  A.  M. 

5  vols.  8  vo.  boards,  $10. 

"The  Rev.  author  places  the  prominent  and  leading  facts  in  such  order  as 
to  give  to  general  readers  a  sufficient  knowledge  of  the  occurrences  regarding 
religion:  this  is  done  in  a  very  clear, simple,  and  pleasing  style:  there  is  no 
attempt  at  decoration,  whicii  would  be  altogether  out  of  place  in  an  historical 
work:  perspicuity  and  orderly  method,  are  the  essential  characteristics  of 
the  historian :  and  the  author  of  this  work  appears  to  us,  to  have  fully  attain- 
ed it.  As  far  as  we  could  judge  by  some  paragraphs  which  we  have  read, 
the  style  is  uniformly  and  pleasingly  sustained.  The  index  is  accurately  and 
judiciously  compiled  ;  so  that  the  references  are  simple  and  abundant,***  It 
is  a  work  which  ought  to  be  generally  read.'' — U.  S.  Catholic  Mtscellany. 

"To  the  man  of  faith,  and  to  the  lover  of  truth,  the  history  of  the  Christian 
Church  is  a  treasure — in  it  we  find  the  most  solid,  the  most  consoling,  and  the 
most  useful  truths.  He  beholds  Christianity  in  its  native  grandeur  and  subli- 
mity, and  is  enabled  to  separate  it  from  the  drp|is  with  which  ignorance  and 
superstition  have  ol\en  disfigured  it.  In  the  wofk  before  us,  the'writer  shews 
extensive  research,  unwearied  industry,  and  enlightened  views — his  style  is 
good,  and  entirely  free  from  meretricious  ornament — indeed  we  may  safely 
say,  that  he  has  done  justice  to  his  own  abilities  and  learning,  as  well  as  to  the 
victorious  merits  of  his  subject.  We  have  remarked  with  particular  satisfac- 
tion, that  without  entering  into  the  field  of  controversy,  he  has  exhibited  to 
his  Protestant  as  well  as  to  his  Catholic  readers,  a  faithful  portrait  of  the  Ca- 
tholic religion,  which  is  calculated  tn  remove  the  prejudices  of  the  former,  and 
whicli  is  highly  gratifying  to  the  feelings  of  the  latter.  With  Mr.  Pise's  ar- 
rangement we  are  well  pleased — it  is  distinct — it  enables  the  reader  to  master 
the  most  difficult  subject  of  dates.  The  general  subject  is  exhibited  in  a 
manner  well  calculated  to  establish  it  permanently  in  the  memory — it  will 
lay  a  long  and  lasting  foundation  for  a  knowledge  of  Church  History. 

Truth'-Teller, 


Published  by  F.  Lucas,  Jr.  5 

A  COMPENDIOUS  ABSTRACT  OF  THE  HISTORY  OF  THE 
CHURCH  OF  CHRIST,  from  its  foundation  to  the  eighteenth 
century;  illustrated  with  remarkable  events  and  occurrences,  and 
a  brief  detail  of  the  eminent  virtues  and  apostolic  labours  of  the 
Holy  Fathers,  &c. — By  the  Rev.  Wm.  Gahan,  O.  S.  A. 

12  ino.,  plain  binding,  f  1. 

"All  the  facts  related  in  this  compendious  abstract  of  Church  History,  have 
been  faithfully  taken  from  the  most  unriuestionable  authors;  and  are  founded 
upon  original  monuments,  and  authentic  records." — Preface. 

INSTRUCTIONS  ON  THE  PRAYERS  AND  CEREMONIES 
OF  THE  HOLY  SACRIFICE  OF  THE  MASS.  Translated 
from  the  French  of  M.  Cochin,  and  arranged  for  each  Sunday 
throughout  the  year.  1  vol.  royal  12  mo.  cloth  backs,  $1. 

"These  instructions  appear  well  adapted  to  strengthen  the  faith,  and  ani- 
mate the  piety  of  the  faithful;  as  well  as  to  inspire  those  sentiments  of  vene- 
ration, gratitude  and  love,  with  which  all  should  be  penetrated  who  assist  at 
the  adorable  sacrifice,  where  the  Son  of  God  himself,  is  at  once  tlie  priest  and 
the  victim." — .Approbation  of  the  Sorbomic. 

THE  CATHOLIC  MANUAL,  containing  a  selection  of  prayers 
and  devotional  exercises,  for  the  use  of  Christians  in  every  state 
of  life;  embellished  with  four  beautiful  engravings. 

18  mo.,  plain  binding,  ^l. 

This  popular  Manual  was  prepared  by  the  direction,  and  under  the  super- 
intendence of  the  late  Archbishop  Marechal.  It  is  printed  with  accuracy  and 
elegance,  and  embellished  with  four  engravings,  among  which  is  one  giving 
a  view  of  the  grand  altar  of  the  Cathedraf,  and  another  of  the  admired  picture 
of  the  "Oesccnt  from  the  cross,"  which  was  presented  to  the  Cathedral  bv 
Louis  XVIII,  ' 

THE  CHRISTIAN'S  GUIDE,  with  the  evening  office  of  the 
Church,  in  Latin  and  English,  and  a  selection  of  pious  hymns. 
Embellished  with  six  beautiful  engravings. 

32  mo.,  plain  bindings  50  cts. 

Another  edition  elegantly  printed  on  folio  post  writing  paper,  18  mo. 
fine  binding,  at  various  prices — from  2  to  3  dollars. 
Jlnother  edition  well  boundin  sheep,         -  -        32  mo.  25  ctsj 

This  Prayer  Book  was  compiled  under  the  inspection  of  the  Most  Reverencf 
Archbishop  Carroll.  The  present  edition  has  been  much  improved,  in  llie 
arrangement  of  the  contents,  in  the  correction  of  many  errors  that  had 
passed  unnoticed  in  former  editions,  and  also  by  some  important  additions-  it 
may  now  be  fairly  estimated  as  a  most  perfect  pocket  Manual.  ' 

THE  POCKET  MISSAL,  OR  COMPANION  TO  THE  ALTAR, 

for  the  Sundays  and  Principal  Festivals  throughout  the  year,  with 
an  engraving  representing  the  Holy  Family. 

18  mo.,  plain  binding,  75  cts. 

A  new  and  beautiful  edition  carefully  revised,  containing  the  Masses  for  the 

Sundays  and  Principal  Festivals  throughoutjhe  year,  with  short  instructions. 

of  which  the  following  is  an  extract:  ''"""s, 

To  accompany  the  Priest  in  the  prayers  which  he  recites  at  the  time  of  cele- 
brating  the  Eucharistic  Sacrifice,  is  a  practice,  wliich  tlie  ablest  divines  have 
strenuously  recommended.  St.  Chrysostom,  the  great  luminary  of  thechurch 
e.\hortsthe  faithful  of  his  time,  "to  bring  the  most  earnest  attention  with  them' 


0  Standard  Catholic  Books 

on  this  awful  occasion,  and  to  consider,  thiat  tlie  priest  and  people  make  but 
one  body:  that  therefore,  theysliould  join  with  each  otlier."  {Hvm.  in  2  Cur.) 
Tlie  learned  Rudri^ucz  {Par.  2.  7V.  8.  C.  15.)  holds  the  same  opinion:  "Tho' 
It  be  the  priest  only  that  speaks,  and  with  his  liands  offers  tliis  sacrifice,  yet  all 
the  niithful  offer  it  likewise  with  him:  which  being  supposed,  1  declare,"  says 
he,  "tlie  best  method  of  hearing  mass  is,  to  go  on  jointly  with  llic  Priest,  offer- 
ing up  the  sacrifice,  and  doing  (as  much  as  may  be)  the  very  same  he  does." 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Gotkcr,  whose  reputation  for  piety  and  learning  is  so  well  esta- 
blished, asserts,  "that  tho'  there  is  no  positive  precept  for  this  practice,  yet, 
that  trom  the  very  tenor  of  the  liturgy,  it  is  evidently  agreeable  to  the  spirit 
and  intenlion  of  the  church." 

We  will  offer  a  few  remarks  concerning  the  plan  of  this  work. 

The  prayers  and  portions  of  scripture,  of  which  the  liturcy  of  the  Catholic 
("liurcli  is  composed,  are,  partly  unalterably  the  same,  and  partly  different 
everyday:  the  fixed  and  iH(an'«/;?c  j)arts  are  contained  in  the  Ordinary,  the 
reader  may  easily  discover  the  places  wherein  the  latter  are  to  be  introduced 
by  l[\6  prayers,  which  occupy  their  several  stations  in  the  Ordinary,  vhmX  which 
lie  may  read  or  pass  over,  as  leisure  may  permit,  or  devotion  occasionally 
incline  him:  they  are  in  name  and  order  as  follows,  viz.  The  Introit,  Collect, 
Kpistleox  Lesson,  Gradual  or  Tract,  Gospel,  Offertory,  Secret,  Communion  and 
Pustcoiiimunion.  The  proper  prefaces,  not  being  "so  frequently  subject  to 
change,  are  placed  in  regular  succession  in  the  Ordinary. 

THE  KEY  OF  PARADISE.  18  mo.,  plain  binding,  75  cts. 

Tlie  many  editions  which  have  been  published  of  this  highly  valued  Prayer 
Hook,  is  a  sufficient  proof  of  its  merit:  together  with  the  usual  devotions 
are  given,  the  "Officii"  for  each  day  in  the  week. 

GARDEN  OF  THE  SOUL:  or,  a  Manual  of  Spiritual  Exer- 
cises and  Instructions  for  Christians. 

18  mo.,  plain  binding,  75  cts. 

The  pious,  the  venerable  name  of  Challoner,  which  stands  on  the  title 
page  of  this  Prayer  Cook,  is  alone  sufficient  to  recommend  it.  Every  exertion 
has  been  made  to  render  this  edition  as  perfect  as  possible. 

TRUE  PIETY,  OR  THE  DAY  WELL  SPENT:  with  engra- 
vings. 18  mo.,  plain  binding,  75  cts. 

Tlie  sHcrifice  of  the  IMass  is  the  same  in  substance  with  that,  which  Christ 
soffered  for  us  upon  the  Cross,  because  both  the  victim  offered,  and  the  priest  or 
pnncipuLfiffercr  is  the  same  Jesus  Ciirist,  the  difference  being  only  in  the  form 
of  the  offering:  upon  the  cross  our  Saviour  offered  himself  in  such  a  manner 
as  really  to  shed  his  blood  and  die  for  us;  whereas  now  he  does  not  really 
shed  Ilia  blood  l)or  die  any  inor.e:  therefore,  this  is  called  an  unbloody  sucri- 
jicc,  and  that  on  the  cross  &  bloody  saerijice, 

THE  POOR  MAN'S  MANUAL. 

18  mo.,  plain  binding,  75  da. 

This  edition  of  a  work  long  celebrated  for  the  practical  piuty  it  inculcates, 
lias-been  very  carefully  corrected.  .    -^ 

THE  POCKET  MANUAL.        -  '■     32  mo.  plain  binding,  25  cts. 

An  useful  assistant  for  those  desirous  to  practice  the  duties  of  religion.  In 
page?  we  find  the  following e.xtract  from  the  fourth  council  of  Lateran,  which 
ordains,  "that  every  one  of  tlie  faithful  of  both  sexes,  after  they  come  to  the 
years  of  discretion,  shall,  in  private,  faithfully  confess  all  their  sins,  at  least 
once  a  year,  to  their  own  pastor,  and  take  care  to  fulfil,  to  the  best  of  their 
power,  the  penance  enjoined  them;  receiving  reverently,  at  least  at  Easter, 
the  sacrament  of  the  Eucharist,  unless,  perhaps,  by  the  counsel  of  their  pastor, 
for  some  reasonable  cause,  they  judge  it  proper  to  abstain  from  it  for  a  time; 
otherwise,  let  them  be  excluded  from  the  church  while  living,  aud  when  tbejr 
die,  be  deprived  of  Christian  burial." 


Published  by  F.  Lucas,  Jr.  t 

*rHE  PATH  TO  PARADISE,  a  selection  of  prayers  and  de- 
Totions,     Embellished  with  5  beautiful  engravings. 

48  mo.,  neatly  bound,  374  cents. 

This  neat  little  pocket  volume,  and  it  may  be  truly  so  called,  has  been 
compiled  with  great  care.  Independently  of  its  convenient  form,  it  will  be 
found  to  combine  a  judicious  selection  of  devotion,  with  beauty  of  execution 
and  cheapness  of  price. 

HOHENLOE'S  PRAYER  BOOK,  or  the  Christian  praying  in 
the  spirit  of  the  Catholic  Church,  by  the  Rev.  Alexander  Prince 
Hohenloe;  translated  from  the  German. 

18  mo.,  plain  binding,  37 i  cts. 

This  edition  of  "Hohenloe's  Prayer  Book,"  is  the  only  genuine  one  pub- 
lished in  this  country,  as  it  contains  nothing  but  what  was  puhlished  by  him 
in  Europe.  Other  prayer  books,  published  under  his  name,  contain  additional 
matter  that  may  be  found  in  almost  any  of  the  Catholic  Prayer  Books  in 
common  use. 

Another  edition  with  the  addition  of  Litanies,  Rosary's,  Nove- 
na's  and  Vespers.  18  mo.,  plain  binding,  75  cts. 

THE  PIOUS  GUIDE.  18  mo  ,  plain  binding,  75  cts. 

"Let  a  love  for  virtue,  the  desire  of  serving  God  according  to  the  end  of 
your  creation,  and  of  improving  this  short  time  for  a  blessed  eternity,  induce 
you  to  adopt  the  following  regulations: 

1.  Faithfully  to  discharge  the  duty  of  Morning  and  Evening  Prayer. 

2.  To  dedicate  some  time  to  the  practice  of  Mental  Prayer. 

3.  To  assist  at  the  adorable  sacrifice  of  the  Mass. 

4.  Every  day  to  rise  early,  in  order  to  be  able  to  perform  the  above, ^t  least 
never  to  indulge  in  sloth. 

5.  To  have  your  fixed  and  regular  hours  to  attend  the  duties  of  your  state; 
and  usefully  to  fill  up  your  time. 

6.  Every  day  to  give  some  time  to  spiritual  reading;  if  prevented,  to  supply 
it  by  the  remembrance  of  pious  lectures,  instructions,  and  good  sentiments. 

7.  Nevertogo  tobed  without  an  exaininationof  your  conscience." 

THE  POOR  MAN'S  CATECHISM,  OR  THE  CHRISTIAN 
DOCTRINE  EXPLAINED.  12  mo.  plain  biding,  75  cts. 

In  this  volume,  the  reverend  author  has  given  a  full  and  lucid  view  of  the 
doctrines  of  the  church,  together  with  short,  but  impressive  instructions;  such 
as  the  following; 

"  Tliou  skalt  Ivve  the  Lord  thy  Ood  with  thy  whole  heart,  and  with  thy  whole 
soul,  and  with  all  thy  strength,  and  with  all  thy  -mind;  and  thy  neighbour  as 
thi/self.  Luke  x.  27,  Matt.  xxii.  These  are  the  two  great  commandments,  or 
precepts  of  charity;  in  these  two  we  fulfil  the  law  and  the  prophets;  and  the 
reward  is  life  everlasting.  To  love  God  with  all  your  heart,  is  to  love  him 
truly;  to  love  him  with  all  your  soul,  is  to  employ  all  the  interior  powers  of 
your  soul  in  his  service;  to  love  him  with  all  your  strength,  is  to  serve  him 
with  your  exterior  power  and  actions;  to  love  him  with  all  your  mind,  is  to 
fix  your  mind  upon  him  in  holy  contemplation,  and  think  there  is  none  so 
amiable  as  he.  With  this  love  we  must  join  a  holy  fear;  love  him  as  your 
Father,  fear  him  as  your  God." 

CATECHISME  ET  PRIERES,  ou  ABREGE  DE  LA  DOCTRINE 
CHRETIENNE.  Precede  de  I'esercice  du  Chretien,  des  prieres 
pour  la  Ste.  Messe,  la  Confession  et  la  Communion,  et  suivi  d'in- 
structions  familieres  sur  toutes  les  fetes  de  I'annee,  des  Vespres  du 

5* 


8  Standard  Catholic  Books 

Dimanche,  &c.     De  litanies  pieuses,  et  de  plusieurs  cantiques 
choisis,  pour  etre  chantes  avant  et  aprez  le  Catechisme. 

ISmo.;  plain  binding,  75  cts. 

LA  DEVOTION  DES  CONFRERIES,  ou  RECUEIL  DES 
PRATIQUES  ET  PRIERES.  Propres  aux  princlpales  Confre- 
ries  approuvees  par  le  St.  Siege  ;  celles  du  St.  Rosaire,  du  Sca- 
pulaire,  de  Notre  Dame  Auxiliatrice  ;  celle  du  Sacre  Cccur  de 
Jesus,  du  St.  Sacrement ;  celle  du  St.  csclavae,e  de  Marie  ;  celle 
de  la  Bonne  Mort,  &c.  Recueil  utile  a  toxttes  ks  ames  pieuses,  mais 
surtout  a  ce%ix  que  sont  membres  de  quelqu''une  des  susdites  Confreries. 

IS  mo.,  j)luin  binding,  75  ctSt 

THE  CATHOLIC  CHRISTIAN  INSTRUCTED,  in  the  Sacra- 
ments, Sacrifice,  Ceremonies  and  Observances  of  the  Church — 
By  the  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Challoner.      12  mo.,  plain  binding,  75  cts. 

The  object  the  Right  Rev.  author  of  tliis  work  has  in  view,  is,  to  explain 
the  doctrine,  and  ceremonies  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church;  to  endeavour 
to  remove  the  prejudice  formed  through  ignorance,  of  the  real  tenets  of 
Catholics;  and,  to  disabuse  that  portion  of  the  public,  who  through  misre- 
presentation, may  have  formed  erroneous  opinions  of  a  large  portion  of  the 
Christian  world. 

FLEURY'S  SHORT  HISTORICAL  CATECHISM,  containing 
a  summary  of  sacred  history  and  the  Christian  doctrine. — Revised 
by  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Cheverus.         18  mo.  half  bound,  25  cts. 

Although  this  work  is  chiefly  intended  for  the  instruction  of  youth,  yet 
those  in  mature  age  will  derive  valuable  information  from  a  perusal  of  its 
pages. 

AN    ABRIDGMENT     OF   THE    CHRISTIAN   DOCTRINE, 

by  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Hat.  18  mo.,  half  bound,  25  cts. 

.Another  edition,  32  mo.,  half  bound,       25  cts. 

This  work  is  in  the  catechetical  form,  and  is  intended  as  a  development  of 
the  smaller  Catechisms.  It  would  be  riiificult  to  mention  a  book  in  which  the 
truths  and  precepts  of  religion  are  explained  in  a  manner  ai  once  so  sucoinct 

and  so  satisfactory. 

A  SHORT  CATECHISM,  for  the  use  of  the  Catholic  Church 

in  the  United  States  of  America.  Stitched,  6i  cts. 

Jinother  edition,  24  mo.  stitched,  6i  cts. 

NOTES  ON  A  PROTESTANT  CATECHISM,  "shev.ing  the 
principal  errors  of  the  Church  of  Rome."—  By  the  author  of 
Father  Rowland.  Stitched,  6i  cts. 

This  little  work  is  replete  with  information;  it  elucidates  the  doctrine  and 
usages  of  the  Catholic  Church,  in  a  chaste  and  perspicuous  style;  it  refutes  the 
illiberal,  and  unfounded  assertions  of  the  author  of  the  protestant  tract, 
and  triumphantly  proves,  that  tlie  Catholic  Church  is  protected  by  Him, 
who  has  promised  to  be  "with  her  all  days,  even  to  the  consummation  of 
the  world." 

AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  CATHO- 
LIC CHURCH,  IN  MATTERS  OF  CONTROVERSY.  By  the 
Right  Rev.  James  B.  Bossuet,  D.  D.  Bishop  of  JMeaux. 

32  mo.  neatly  bound,  25  cts. 


Published  by  F.  Lucas,  Jr. 


"The  exposition  of  our  doctrine  must  produce  very  happy  effects,  as  it  will 
lead  to  the  termination  of  many  controversial  disputes  which  have  in  several 
instances  arisen  from  an  ignorance  of  our  tenets." 

FATHER  ROWLAND,  a  North  American  tale. 

18  mo.  extraboards,  50  ds. 

"  Who  would  another  fairly  represent,  must  study  well  his  character  and 
manners." — Hor. 

"It  is  a  matter  of  little  consequence,"  to  use  the  language  of  the  editor  of 
this  interesting  work,  to  whom  the  American  public  are  indebted  for 
the  composition  of  it.  F\-om  its  character,  and  tlie  various  parts  of  which 
it  is  composed,  we  are  induced  to  believe,  lliat  it  is  the  odspring  of  more  than 
one  pen.  It  combines  at  once,  much  theological  research,  a  thorough  know- 
ledge of  the  world,  an  acquaintance  with  men,  and  an  ability  of  description 
almost  approaching  to  poesy.  ******* 
********  Passing,  how- 

ever, over  these  conjectures,  and  confident  that  time  will  develop  the  author, 
we  shall  briefly  review  the  matter  treated  under  each  chapter,  and  conclude 
the  present  notice  with  one  or  two  extracts.  It  strikes  us,  that  the  work  was 
written  in  answer  to  "Father  Clement,"  although  the  name  of  that  abusive 
little  romance  is  not  once  mentioned,  nor  are  the  misrepresentations  with 
which  it  abounds,  so  much  as  even  alluded  to." — Metropolitan. 

'.'Tlie  descriptions  which  it  contains,  are  not,  it  is  true,  very  numerous,  nor 
are  they  georgeously  painted  in  glowing  colours;  but  we  apprehend  they  will 
be  found  to  be  true  to  nature,  and  such  we  look  upon  to  be  the  perfection  of 
this  species  of  writing." — Catholic  Miscellany. 

THE  INDIAN  COTTAGE,  A  UNITARIAN  STORY. 

"Son  uomo,  e  di  quest'  uonio  aDio  non  cale. 
Sou  dio,  Son  Figlio,  e  non  lio  Dio,  ne  Tadre." 

Lorenzo  MigUacti. 

By  the  author  of  Father  Rowland.     18  mo.  extra  hoards,  50  cts. 

"The  above  work,  by  the  author  of  "Father  Rowland,  was  written  in  vin- 
dication of  a  Dogma,  which  is  not  only  questioned,  but  systematically  at- 
tacked, by  a  denomination  who  style  themselves  Christians.  Tliis  too,  is  the 
most  vital  dogma  of  Christianity:  for,  if  the  founder  ot  the  new  covenant 
was  a  mere  man,  the  system  which  he  established,  is  not  as  sublime  as  that 
of  the  old.  The  reality  is  not  more  substantial  than  the  figure.  The  pro- 
phecies have  not  been  fulfilled. — Christ  is  no  greater  than  the  propliets,  less 
than  Moses. — This  will  be  made  manifest,  it  is  thought,  to  any  who  will 
peruse  this  little  work  with  attention,  and  without  prejudice." 

A  COMPARATIVE  VIEW  OF  THE  GROUNDS  OF  THE 
CATHOLIC  AND  PROTESTANT  CHURCHES,  by  the  Rev, 
John  Fletcher,  D.  D.  \2mo.,flainhinding,  $1. 

"The  true  religion  is  just  as  essentially  one,  as  is  the  divinity  itself.  And 
exactly  as  a  multiplicity  of  true  Cods  is  a  contradiction,  so,  also,  under  the 
present  order  of  things,  is  a  multiplicity  of  true  religions, — or  even  two  true 
religions.  Wherefore,  it  follows, — that,  precisely  as  it  is  necessary  for  them 
to  know,  and  to  cultivate,  that  religion  ahnic,  which  is  the  true  one, — that 
religion  alone,  which,  founded  by  the  wisdom  of  our  Kedeemer,  is,  alone,  the 
rule  of  the  Christian's  faith,  and  the  source  of  his  sanctification. 

If  then,  there  exi.-;ts  any  marks,  by  which  this  divine  establishment  may  be 
known, — any  sure  criterions,  by  whicli,in  the  midst  of  the  surrounding  asso- 
ciations, it  may  be  accurately  distinguished, — in  this  case  it  ought  to  appear, 
— as  it  certainly  is, — a  matter  of  the  highest  moment  to  be  correctly  acquaint- 
ed with  them.  Happily,  there  do  exist  such  marks,— instituted  by  the  eternal 
wisdom,  for  the  express  purpose  of  pointing  out  the  blessed  sanctuary.  Be- 
hold, therefore,  the  design,  and  plan,  of  the  succeeding  Treatise.  Its  object 
is  to  exhibit,  and  apply,  these  important  rules,    Ii  is,  to  present  to  the  hand  of 


10  Standard  Catholic  Boohs 

the  prudent  man  a  clew,  which,  if  he  follow  with  pious  care,  will  conduct 
him  from  amidst  the  mazes  of  error,  to  the  asylum  of  real  security.  I  have, 
however,  adopted,  for  this  end,  one  great  principle  in  particular.  It  is 
a  principle,  admitted  equally  by  the  enlightened  protestant,  as  it  is  by  the 
catholic;  and  considered,  not  less  the  dictate  of  reason,  tljan  it  is  the  sugges- 
tion of  religion.  It  is  a  principle,  too,  so  plain,  and  easy,  that,  in  order  to 
understand  it,  no  other  talent  is  required,  but  common  sense;  in  order  to  apply 
it,  no  other  disposition  is  necessary,  but  the  honest  feelings  of  sincerity.  It 
is,  hence,  a  principle,  which  has  always  conducted  multitudes,  and  still  con- 
ducts many,  from  the  paths  of  error,  back  again  to  the  paths  of  truth." 

AN  AMICABLE  DISCUSSION  ON  THE  CHURCH  OF  EN- 
GLAND, and  on  the  Reformation  in  general,  by  the  Right  Rev  J. 
F.  M.  Trevern,  D.  D.     Translated  by  the  Rev.  Wm.  Richmond. 
2  vols.  12mo.,  red  cloth  backs,  $175. 

"  The  Disctission  AmicaU,  a  translation  of  which  is  now  respectfully  pre- 
sented to  the  public,  was  first  published  in  1817, — a  second  edition  appeared 
in  18i4. — The  more  than  ordinary  excellence  of  this  controversial  work 
has  never  been  disputed  either  by  friend  or  opponent;  and  its  substantial 
merit,  original  style,  and  peculiar  applicability,  have  for  some  years  caused 
numerous  highly  respectable  individuals  to  wish  that  it  might  appear  in  our 
own  language.  Latterly  this  wish  has  become  more  emphatically  express- 
ed, in  consequence  of  the  appearance  of  the  "  Difficulties  of  Romanism,"  a 
work  written  by  the  great  champion  of  Protestantism,  the  Kev.  G.  S.  Faber, 
of  Long-Newton,  professing  to  be  a  fair  exposure  and  complete  refutation 
of  the'' Discussion  Amicale."  As  this  book  of  iPij^cuitici  seemed  calculated 
to  give  a  very  illusory  idea  of  the  general  character  of  the  volumes  it  at- 
tacked; as  it  evidently  suppressed  some  of  the  most  powerful  arguments 
therein  contained,  and  mutilated  or  distorted  others;  as  it  undeniably  gave, 
in  some  instances,  a  false  translation  of  very  important  passages,  and  on  this 
false  interpietation,  raised  no  small  proportion  of  its  arguments;  it  was 
thought  extremely  desirable,  that  the  Bishop  of  Strasbourgli's  original  work 
should  be  fairly,  and  strictly  translated,  and  thus  appear  in  its  own  defence, 
and  that  the  reader  might  be  enabled  to  form  a  more  correct  estimate  of 
its  character  and  merit.  The  translator  here  begs  leave  to  state,  that  he 
has  followed  his  author  throughout  with  timorous  scrupulosity,  perhaps 
with  servility;  and  that,  if  he  has  erred,  he  has  done  so  involuntarily,  his 
only  object  in  undertaking  his  arduous  task  Laving  been,  to  aid  tlie  cause 
of  truth,  justice,  and  Religion." 

AN  ANSWER  TO  THE  REV.  G.  S.  FABER'iS  DIFFICUL- 
TIES OF  ROMANISM,  by  the  Right  Rev.  J.  M.  Trevern,  Bishop 
of  Strasburg,  late  Bishop  of  Aire.  Translated  by  the  Rev.  F.  C. 
Husenbeth.  12  mo.  cloth  hacks,  75  cents. 

No  one  could  better  reply  to  the  worK,  or  Mr.  Paiier,  than  the  Prelate 
against  whose  first  work  {Discussion  A micale,)  "the  Difficulties  of  Romanism" 
were  principally  directed.  Tlie  attack  was  made  by  a  man,  who,  it  is  conc&. 
ded,  wields  an  able  pen,  and  defends,  with  a  peculiar  appearance  of  ingenuous- 
ness,  the  cause  of  the  protestant  religion.  But  he  defends  a  bad  cause:  and, 
consequently,  is  detected  in  the  artifices  to  which  he  has  recourse,  to  throw 
over  his  undertaking  the  veil  of  plausibility. 

THE  DIFFICULTIES  OF  PROTESTANTISM,  by  the  Rev. 
Jolin  Fletcher,  D.  D. 

"What  is  Protestantism? 

It  is  the  abjuration  of  Popery." 

Dr.  Burgess'  Catechism, 

'•Nihil,  enim  interest  illis,  licet  diversa  tractantibus,  dum  ad  unius  veri. 
tatis  expugnationem  conspirent."  TcrtulUan. 

J  vol.  13  mo.,  75  cts. 


Published  by  F,  Lucas y  Jr.  11 

Extract  from  the  Dedication  to  the  Rt.  Rev.  James  Yorkt  Bramston,  D.  D. 
Catholic  Bishop  of  London, 
"The  object  of  this  work  is  to  point  out,  as  its  title  expresses,  some  of  those 
Innumerabie  difficulties,  which  surround,  and  perplex,  the  religion  of  Protes- 
tantism. To  your  lordship,  a  work  of  this  description  is  addressed  with 
peculiar  propriety,  because  it  was  those  very  difficulties,  which,  first  striking 
your  good  sense,  whilst  yet  you  were  a  Protestant,  induced  your  prudence  to 
view  them  with  distrust,  and  ere  long,  to  examine  them  with  care.  You 
did  this,  comparing  them,  at  the  same  time,  with  the  grounds,  and  character 
of  the  parent  institute.  I  need  not  state  what  was  the  result.  It  was  such 
as  might  be  expected  from  a  mind  like  yours, — frank,  open  and  sincere, — 
wishing  to  see  the  truth,  and  willing  to  admit  it.  Convinced  soon  of  the 
illusive  pretensions  of  Protestantism,  you  quitted  the  established,  and  em- 
braced the  Catholic  Church.  Sacrificing,  by  the  generous  act,  those  flattering 
prospects  of  wordly  honors,  to  which,  both  from  your  talents,  your  rank, 
and  reputation,  (for,  you  were  already  a  distinguished  ornament  in  our 
temples  of  jurisprudence,)  you  were  eminently  entitled  to  aspire.  Hence, 
therefore, the  propriety  of  dedicating  these  pages  to  your  lordship." 

THE  END  OF  RELIGIOUS  CONTROVERSY,  in  a  friendly 
correspondence  between  a  religious  society  of  Protestants  and  a 
Roman  Catholic  Divine,  by  theRt.  Rev.  John  Milner,  D.  D.  V. 
A.  F.  S.  A.  8  vo.,  plain  binding,  i^l  25. 

The  name  of  this  celebrated  polemic,  so  well  known  in  the  Christian  world 
has  been,  if  we  may  so  express  it,  consecrated  to  the  best  interests  of  reli- 
gion, by  the  many  valuable  and  important  disputations,  in  which  he  was  en- 
gaged :  but  in  none,  has  his  powerful  and  argumentative  abilities  been  exert- 
ed with  more  success,  than  in  his  "End  of  Eeligious  Controversy." 

"There  can  be  no  doubt,  sir,  but  those  who  entertain  doubts  concerning  the 
truth  of  their  religion,  in  the  course  of  their  lives,  must  experience  tlie  same, 
with  redoubled  anxiety,  at  the  approach  of  death.  Accordingly  there  are,  I 
believe,  few  of  our  Catholic  priests,  in  an  extensive  ministry,  who  have  not 
been  frequently  called  in  to  receive  dying  Protestants  into  the  Catholicchurch, 
while  not  a  single  instance  of  a  Catholic  wishing  to  die  in  any  other  commu- 
nion than  his  own,  can  be  produced.  O  death,  thou  great  enlightener!  O 
truth.telling  death,  how  powerful  art  thou,  in  confuting  the  blasphemies,  and 
dissipating  the  prejudices  of  the  enemies  of  God's  church! — Taking  it  for 
granted,  that  you,  dear  sir,  have  not  been  without  your  doubts,  and  fears 
about  the  safety  of  the  road  in  whicli  you  are  walking  to  eternity,  more  par- 
ticularly in  the  course  of  the  present  controversy,  and  being  anxious,  beyond 
expression,  that  you  should  be  free  from  these,  when  you  arrive  at  the  brink 
of  that  vast  ocean,  I  cannot  do  better  than  address  you  in  the  words  of  the 
great  St.  Augustine,  to  one  in  your  situation:  "If  you  think  you  have  been 
sufficiently  tossed  about,  and  wish  to  see  an  end  to  your  anxieties,  follow  the 
rule  of  Catholic  discipline,  whicli  came  down  to  us  through  the  apostles  from 
Christ  himself,and  which,  shall  descend  from  us  to  the  latest  posterity.  Yes, 
renounce  the  fatal  and  foolish  presumption  of  fancying,  that  you  can  interpre 
the  scripture  better  than  the  Catholic  church,  aided,  as  she  is,  by  the  tradition 
of  all  ages,  and  the  Spirit  of  all  truth." 

A  PAPIST  REPRESENTED  AND    MISREPRESENTED,  or 

a  two  fold  character  of  Popery,  by  the  late  Rev.  John  Gother. 

18oto.,  plain  binding,  37  1-2  cenls. 

The  re-publication  of  this  little  work  cannot  fail  to  be  grateful  to  all  Roman 
Catholics,  w)io  will  find  in  it,  the  clearest  exposition  of  their  principal  tenets; 
moreover,  unprejudiced  men  of  other  denominations,  cannot  but  be  satisfied 
in  finding  means  of  rectifying  their  notions  in  religious  matters  ;  and  the  most 
obstinate  will  at  least  be  left  without  excuse,  in  shutting  their  eyes  to  the 
chining  rays  of  truth. 


12  Standard  Catholic  Books 

THE  FOLLOWING  OF  CHRIST,  in  four  books,  by  Thomas 
A'Ke.mpis,  to  which  are  added  reflections  at  the  end  of  each  chap- 
ter, by  the  Abbe  F.  de  la  Menais — with  an  engraved  frontispiece 
of  Christ  bearing  the  Cross.     2d  ed.  18»io.,  plain  binding,  75  cents. 

It  were  superfluous  to  bestow  commendations  on  the  "Following  ofChrist." 
We  shall  merely  mention  that  the  notes  of  the  Abbe  de  la  Menais  have  been 
translated  expressly  for  this  edition.  The  enlightened  reader  cannot  but  be 
pleased  to  see,  with  what  sentiments  the  perusal  of  this  inestimable  work  in- 
spired a  man  not  less  venerated  for  his  piety,  than  admired  for  his  unrivalled 
eloquence. 

THE  FOLLOWING  OF  CHRIST,  in  four  books,  by  Thomas 
A.  Kempis.  Translated  into  English  by  the  Rt,  Rev.  Richard 
Challoner,  D.  D.  1  vol.  32mo.,  50  cts. 

"The  imitation  of  Christ,"  says  the  celebrated  Leibnitz,  "is  one  of  the  most 
excellent  treatises  that  have  been  composed.  Happy  is  he  who  puts  its  con- 
tents into  practice  and  is  not  satisfied  with  merely  reading  them." 

Of  this  inestimable  volume,  Foiitainelle  says, "that  it  is  the  most  excellent 
book  that  ever  came  from  the  hand  of  man:  the  Holy  Scriptures  being  of 
divine  origin." 

THE  SPIRITUAL  COMBAT,  to  which  is  added  the  Peace  of 
the  Soul,  and  the  Happiness  of  the  Heart,  which  dies  to  itself  in 
order  to  live  to  God.  24nio.,  plain  binding,  50  cents. 

Another  edition,  32mo.,  plain  binding,  50  cents. 

This  work  is  second  only,  to  the  "Following  of  Christ."  It  was  the  con- 
stant companion  of  St.  Francis  of  Sales,  and  contributed  not  a  little  to  nour- 
ish the  tender,  and  enlightened  devotion,  by  which  that  eminent  saint  was 
distinguished.  The  pious  author  of  this  treatise  proves,  that  a  spiritual  life 
is  founded  on  perfect  self-denial,  sincere  sentiments  of  humility,  and  a  diffi- 
dence in  ourselves  on  the  one  side  ;  and  on  the  other,  in  an  entire  confidence 
in  God,  a  profound  sense  of  liis  goodness,  love,  and  mercy  towards  us.  The 
great  St.  Francis  de  Sales  assures  us,  he  read  a  portion  of  it  every  day  for 
twenty  years,  and  always  with  great  advantage, 

THE  DEVOUT  COMMUNICANT,  with  engravings,  by  the 
Rev.  P.  Baker,  0.  S.  F.  24?no.  plain  bindi7ig,  50  cents. 

The  pious  author  of  these  meditations  on  the  Holy  Eucharist,  has  left  us  an 
admirable  system  for  frequently,  and  fervently,  approaching  the  adorable  sa- 
crament. The  first  part  is  preparation  before,  the  second,  of  praise  and 
thanksgiving  after,  communion. 

THE  SOUL  UNITED  TO  JESUS  IN  THE  ADORABLE  SA- 
CRAMENT, or  a  Devout  method  of  hearing  Mass,  before  and 
after  Communion.  32mo.  plain  binding,  37  1-2  cents. 

Of  this  admirable  production  that  venerable  champion  of  Catholicity,  the 
Right  Rev.  Dr.  Milner  thus  writes — "I  have  been  much  edified  by  the  affec- 
tions of  a  lively  faith,  and  ardent  devotion  towards  our  Divine  victim  and 
food,  in  the  adorable  sacrifice  and  sacrament  of  the  Blessed  Eucharist." 

THINK  WELL  ON'T,  or  reflections  on  the  great  truths  of  the 
Christian  Religion,  for  every  day  in  the  month,  by  the  Right  Rev. 
Dr.  Challoner.  327no.,  plain  binding,  37  1-2  cents. 

"With  desolation  is  the  whole  earth  laid  desolate : 
Because  there  is  no  one  who  thinks  in  bis  Iieart." 

Jeremiah  zii.  11. 


Published  by  F.  Lucas,  Jr.  13 

I'lresc  reflections  of  that  truly  eminent  divine,  the  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Challo- 
Ijer  are  admirably  suited  to  parsons  of  every  denomination:  the  many  tliousands 
of  copies  which,  from  time  to  time  have  issued  from  the  press,  area  sufficient 
proof  of  tlie  esteem  in  which  they  are  held  by  all  reflecting  Christians. 
The  following  passage  is  from  page  249,  "It  is  consummated.  Let  us  rejoice 
that  the  work  of  man's  redemption  is  now  perfected:  that  the  figures  and 
prophecies  of  the  law  are  fulfilled  ;  that  the  hand  writing  which  stood  against 
'us  is  cancelled  by  the  blood  of  our  Redeemer  ;  who,  when  expiring  on  the 
cross,  exclaimed  'Father,  into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit  !'  Let  us 
learn  in  life,  and  in  death,  to  commit  ourselves  wholly  to  God:  happy,  O  hap- 
py they  who  study  well  the  lessons  which  their  Divine  Master  teaches  them 
from  the  chair  of  the  cross." 

FIFTY  REASONS  why  the  Roman  Catholic  and  Apostolic  Re- 
ligion ought  to  be  preferred  to  all  the  sects  in  Christendom. 

l8mo.,  plain  binding,  37  1-2  cents 

"Though  for  many  j'ears  I  employed  all  the  study,  pains,  and  diligence,  I 
was  able,  in  an  enquiry  after  the  true  Religion,  and  sanctifying  faith,  which  I 
was  sensible  could  be  but  one;  and  this  upon  no  other  motive  than  a  concern 
for  my  eternal  welfare,  and  a  desire  to  know  the  truth;  I  was  yet  in  doubt, 
out  of  so  many  religions  and  confessions,  which  it  was,  that  I  ought  to  em- 
brace. In  the  mean  while,  upon  this  design,  I  visited  several  Universities; 
I  turned  over  whole  libraries;  I  read  tlie  works  of  innumerable  authors  (as 
well  Catholic  as  otliers)  tiiat  treated  of  our  present  controversies;  I  advised 
with  a  great  many  doctors,  touching  the  diversity  of  sects  and  confessions;  I 
proposed  my  doubts,  not  only  to  Catholics,  but  likewise  to  their  adversaries. 
In  a  word,  I  tried  all  ways  and  means,  witliout  being  able  to  find  out  the  only 
thing  I  desired.  This  made  me  resolve  to  set  all  other  business  aside,  and  to 
choose  a  proper  time  and  place,  wherein  I  might  wholly  apply  myself  to  this 
afl'air,  as  being  of  all  others,  the  most  important;  because  nothing  less  thaii 
an  eternity  of  happiness  or  misery  depended  on  it." 

A  NET  FOR  THE  FISHERS  OF  MEN— the  same  which 
Christ  gave  to  his  Apostles,  wherein  the  points  controverted  be- 
twixt Catholics  and  Sectarians  are  briefly  exhibited;  by  way  of  di- 
lemma. Stitched,  6  1-4  cents. 

"And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  come  ye  after  me  and  I  will  make 
you  become  Fishers  of  Men." — Mark  I.  17. 

"Those  endowed  with  the  'private  spirit,'  either  ean,  or  cannot,  interpret 
the  Holy  Scriptures  : — if  they  cannot,  why  do  they  presume  to  explain  the 
most  diliicult  passages  of  that  sublime  volume?  if  they  can,  whence  the  ne- 
cessity of  preachers,  seeing  no  man  will  believe  any  thing,  but  what  his 
spirit  suggests  ?" 

THE  GROUNDS  OF  THE  CATHOLIC  DOCTRINE,  con- 
tained in  the  profession  of  faith,  published  by  Pope  Pius  IV.  and 
now  in  use  for  the  reception  of  converts  into  the  Church;  by  way 
of  question  and  answer.  To  which  is  added,  reasons  why  a  Ro- 
man Catholic  cannot  conform  to  the  Protestant  religion. 

32mo.  sheep  filleted,  25  cents. 

"Because  the  Protestant  religion  can  afford  us  no  certainty  in 
matters  of  faith." 

THE  MEDITATIONS  OF  ST.  AUGUSTINE. 

18mo., plainbinding,  50  c^ts. 

This  celebrated  Father  of  the  Church,  in  this  excellent  Work,  thus  invokes 

the  Almighty:  "  Enable  me,  I  beseech  thee,  O  my  God!  through  thy  dearly 

beloved  Son,  to  perforin  the  works  of  kindness  and  mercy,  to  sympathize  with 


14  Standard  Catholic  Books 

he  afflicted,  to  advise  such  as  err,  to  succour  th»  wretched,  to  supply  the 
needy,  to  comfort  the  sorrowful,  to  relieve  the  oppressed,  to  cherish  the 
poor,  to  sustain  the  dejected,  to  forgive  them  that  trespass  against  me,  to  par- 
don them  that  wrong  me,  to  love  them  that  hate  me,  to  render  good  for  evil, 
to  despise  none,  but  to  honour.all ;  to  imitate  the  good,  to  avoid  the  bad,  to 
embrace  virtue,  to  reject  vice  -,  to  be  patient  in  adversity,  and  moderate  in 
prosperity,  "  to  set  a  watch  before  my  mouth,  and  a  door  round  about  my 
lips,"  (Ps.  cxl.)to  despise  all  earthly,  and  aspire  to  heavenly  things." 

THE  MANUAL  OF  ST.  AUGUSTINE. 

18»to.  plain  binding,  37  1-2  cenli. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  dilate  on  the  merits  of  this  excellent  work,  the  follow- 
ing passage  occurs  in  the  first  chapter:  ■  ' 

"Thou,  O  Lord,  fiUest  the  heavens  and  the  earth!  thou  sustainest  the  unK 
verse,  and  yet  feelest  no  burden;  thou  fillest  all  things,  and  art  circumscribed 
hy  none.  Thou  art  always  in  action,  yet  always  in  rest;  seeking  and  gatherest, 
hut  wantest  notliing;  lovest,  without  passion;  art  jealous,  without  vexation; 
repentest,  without  remorse;  thou  nr(  anery,  withnut  pmntinn:  altp rest  thy 
measures,  but  not  thy  designs;  thou  recoverest,  what  thou  hadst  never  lost; 
rejoicest  in  gain,  and  yet  never  poor;  expectest  thine  own  with  usury,  and 
yet  never  covetous;  bountiful  to  them  to  whom  thou  owest  nothing,  and 
placing  to  tlieir  account,  the  virtues  thou  inspirest,  that  thou  mayest  become 
their  debtor. 

Who  hast  any  thing,  which  is  not  thine.'  Thou  payest,  and  owest  not; 
thou  remittest  thy  dues,  but  without  prejudice  to  the  rights  of  thy  divine 
justice.  Thou  art  in  every  place,  and  in  each  entire;  thou  canst  be  per- 
ceived, but  not  with  human  eyes;  absent  from  none,  yet  far  from  the 
hearts  of  the  wicked;  but  still  not  absent  even  from  them;  for  where  thou 
art  not  by  thy  grace,  thou  art  present  by  thy  justice.  Though  present  in 
every  place,  we  can  scarce  find  thee  in  any;  we  follow  thee,  and  yet  thou 
removest  not:  and  what  we  pursue  we  are  not  able  to  attain:  for  thou  pos- 
sessest,  fiUest,  comprehendest  all,  transcendest  and  sustainest  all  things,  by 
thy  mighty  power. 

ThoiTteachesl  the  hearts  of  the  faithful  without  the  help  or  noise  of  words; 
thou  art  not  extended  with  space,  nor  varied  by  time,  nor  nearer,  or  more 
distant  by  motion;  but  "inhabitest  light  inaccessible,  which  no  man  in  this 
life,  hath  seen,  nor  can  see."  Always  at  rest  in  thyself,  and  yet  pervading 
the  whole  universe,  and  every  part  of  it.  As  thy  nature  is  really  one,  and 
uncompouiided,  it  is  indivisible:  thou  sustainest  and  fillest,  illustratcst,and 
possesses!  all  things,  and  art  every  where  all  in  all." 

SOLILOQUIES  OF  ST.  AUGUSTINE. 

\%mo.  -plain  binding,  ZQ  cents. 

This  celebrated  author  thus  addresses  the  Almighty, 

"Let  me  know  thee,  my  God,  O  thou,  who  knowest  me!  Let  me  know  thee  j 
thou  strength  of  my  soul.  Show  me  thy  face,  O  thou  my  comforter:  let  me 
see  thee,  Othou  light  of  mine  eyes.  Come,  Ojoy  of  my  spirit,  let  me  behold 
thee,  O  thou  comfort  of  my  heart.  Make  me  love  thee,  O  thou  love  of  my 
soul.  Appear  to  me,  O  my  great  delight,  my  sweet  consolation,  my  Lord, 
my  God,  my  life,  and  the  glory  of  my  soul.  Let  me  find  thee,  O  thou 
desire  of  my  heart;  let  me  possess  thee,  O  love  of  my  soul.  "Let  me  em- 
brace thee,  O  heavenly  spouse!"  O  thou,  my  sovereign,  my  external  and 
internal  joy.  Let  me  possess  thee,  O  eternal  beatitude,  let  me  possess  thee 
in  tlie  very  centre  of  my  heart.  O  thou  blessed  life,  and  sovereign  sweet- 
ness of  Biy  soul." 

THE  LENTEN  MONITOR,  OR  MORAL  REFLECTIONS 
AND  DEVOUT  ASPIRATIONS  ON  THE  GOSPEL,  for  each  day 
from  Ash- Wednesday  to  Easter  Sunday,  by  the  Rev.  P.  Baker. 

\^mo., plain  binding,  81-00 

"There  are  few  books  better  adapted  to  Lent,  than  this  excellent  work  of 
Baker's.  In  a  style,  at  once  pleasing  and  instructive,  and  with  a  piety  which 


Published  by  Fielding  Lucas,  Jr.  15 

breathes  in  every  page,  he  conveys  to  the  reader  the  substance  and  pith  of 
Ihose  portions  of  the  sacred  gospels,  selected  by  the  wisdom  of  the  church, 
for  every  day  in  lent.  Most  books  of  a  spiritual  nature  are  written  in  a  style 
too  dry  and  didactic  to  interest  every  class  of  readers:  and,  indeed,  so  general 
is  this  defect,  that  it  is  with  difficulty  that  young  persons  can  be  persuaded  lo 
take  up  a  book  professedly  religious.  What  we  very  much  stand  in  need  of 
in  this  country,  are  works  of  piety  and  morality,  written  in  a  manner  which 
would  please  all,  by  the  propriety  and  elegance  of  the  composition.  Did  we 
possess  such  books,  it  would  no  longer  be  necessary,  in  order  to  acquire  a 
style,  to  have  recourse  to  productions,  not  merely  profane,  but  frequently 
dangerous.  What  a  delight  is  it  not  for  the  French  reader  to  instruct  himself 
not  only  in  his  religion,  but  in  the  minutest  principles  of  perfection,  by  the 
classic  writings  of  a  Fenelon,  aBossuet,  a  Massilon,  a  Bourdaloue,  a  Flechier, 
nnd  so  many  others.  In  Italian,  too,  we  may  learn  the  most  refined  devotion 
ill  the  most  elegant  style.  Who  has  not  heard  of  a  Segneri,  a  Bartoli,  a 
Pinnamonti,  &c.  &c.?  There  are,  certainly,  in  the  English  language,  several 
Spiritual  works  of  high  standing;  such  as  Manning's  moral  entertainments. 
Parson's  directory,  Gother,  &,c.;  among  these,  the  'Monitor,' which  is  now 
under  consideration,  deserves  not  to  hold  the  last  place.  The  recommenda- 
tion of  it,  by  the  Archbishops  of  Ireland,  will  convince  the  reader,  that  this 
praise  is  not  exaggerated  or  unmerited.  'We  highly  approve,'  write  those 
respectable  Prelates,  'of  the  publication  of  Baker's  Works,  and  recommend 
them  to  the  perusal  of  the  faithful,  as  eminently  calculated  to  convey  to  per- 
sons of  every  station,  solid  and  practical  information,  and  to  awaken  in  every 
breast  sentiments  of  pure  devotion.  The  simplicity,  perspicuity,  and  purity 
of  style,  in  which  the  divine  truths  are  unfolded,  admirably  adapt  these  reflec- 
tions to  all  capacities.  Tlie  Pastor  will  find  them  useful  in  his  closet,  and  at 
the  altar;  and  the  laity  will  learn  from  them  to  meditate  with  fruit  on  tlie 
Kfe  and  passion  of  the  Kedeemer,  and  dispose  themselves  to  rise  with  Christ, 
and  seek  the  things  tliat  are  above.'  " — jilUropoliiaru. 

THE  OFFICE  OF  THE  HOLY  WEEK,  according  to  the  Ro- 
man Missal,  and  Breviarj  :    in  Latin  and  English. 

18mo.,  plain  binding,  §1.00 

An  attempt  has  been  made  to  present  this  work  under  an  improved  form  ; 
many  inaccuracies  have  been  corrected,  the  translation  has  been  thoroughly 
revised,  and  tlie  volume  reduced  to  a  more  convenient  size. 

The  week  preceding  Easter  has  been  designated  "Holy,"  from  the  religious 
duties  and  ceremonies  which  arc  performed  during  these  days.  It  has  been 
called  Paisosa,  in  allusion  to  the  sufferings  our  Redeemer  endured  for 
sin:  It  is  styled  Hchdnm  aria  Major,  or  the  Great  Week:  as  the  Church  then 
performs  the  great  things  whicli  she  had  been  commanded  by  Jesus  Christ. 

THE  METROPOLITAN.       '  1  vol.  8vo.,  in  cloth  backs. 

This  volume,  which  was  issued  in  the  form  of  a  periodical,  constitutes,  of 
itself,  a  very  useful  work.  The  orisinal  pieces  are  from  the  pens  of  Divines 
well  versed  in  the  subjects  of  which  they  treated  ;  and  are  presented  in  a 
style  which  cannot  but  please  the  man  of  taste  and  religion.  The  select 
pieces  are  from  approved  authors,  and  forming  a  body  of  miscellaneous 
reading,  highly  valuable  and  instructive.  The  whole  will  be  found  to  be  a 
work  which  is  far  from  ephemeral:  and  which  every  lover  of  truth  and 
good  reading  shouid  place  in  his  library. 

A  HISTORY  OF  THE  REFORMATION  IN  ENGLAND  AND 
IRELAND,  in  a  series  of  Letters,  by  William  Cobbett. 

12)no.  bound,  62  1-2  cents. 

"I  have  not  been  unmindful  of  the  unpopularity  and  the  prejudice  that 
would  attend  this  enterprise  ;  hut,  when  I  considered  the  long,  long  triumph 
of  calumny  over  the  religion  of  those,  to  whom  we  owe  all  tliat  we  possess 
Chat  IS  great  and  renowned  ;  when  I  was  convinced  that  I  could  do  much  to- 
ward* the  counteracting  of  that  calumny;  when  duty  so  sacred  bade  me 


16  Standard  Catholic  Books. 

speak,  it  would  have  been  baseness  to  hold  my  tongue,  and  baseness  superla- 
tive would  it  have  been,  if,  having  the  will  as  well  as  the  power,  I  had  been 
restrained  by  fear  of  the  shafts  of  falselwod  and  of  folly."— p.  322. 

ENGLAND'S  REFORMATION,  a  poem  in  four  cantos,  by 
Thomas  Ward.  18mo.  plain  binding,  87  1-2  cents. 

"Thrice  is  he  armed  whose  cause  is  just, 
And  he  but  naked,  though  wrapt  up  in  steel, 
Whose  conscience  with  injustice  is  polluted." 

"'At  a  time  like  the  present,  when  we  would  have  thought  that  the  foul 
tongue  of  religious  calumny  had  sunk  into  the  bosom  of  eternal  night,  there 
would  have  been  no  further  necessity  for  the  appearance  of  this  work,  than 
barely  to  record  its  existence.  But  the  misrepresentation  which  daily  eman- 
ates from  the  pulpit  and  the  press,  for  the  express  purpose  of  stigmatising  an 
innocent  and  unoffending  body  of  men,  renders  it  indispensably  necessary 
that  we  should  wield  the  latter  weapon  in  our  own  defence,  it  is  neither 
usual  nor  consonant  with  the  doctrines  of  our  holy  religion,  for  its  ministers 
to  occupy  their  time,  or  the  patience  of  their  hearers,  in  declaiming  against 
the  vices  or  virtues  of  persons  holding  tenets  opposite  to  their  own  ;  but 
when  Protestants  think  proper  to  misrepresent  the  ichole  body  of  our  reli- 
gious community,  the  laity  have  an  undoubted  right  to  retort  those  asser- 
tions in  the  best  possible  manner.  In  this  case,  so  far  as  we  abide  by  truth, 
the  justice  of  our  cause  will  render  abortive  the  wily  machinations  of  our 
enemies.     Preface. 

THE  LIFE  OF  SAINT  PATRICK,  Apostle  of  Ireland;  with  a 
copious  index  and  a  chronological  table,  &c.  &c. 

Vimo.plainhinding,  75  cents, 

"From  the  innumerable  calumnies  and  gros.«  misrepresentations  of  various 
ancient  and  modern  authors,  some,  perhaps,  influenced  by  mistaken,  but 
more  by  vicious  views,  in  relation  to  the  patron  saint  of  the  'Emerald  Isle  ;' 
the  editor  has  been  induced  to  present  this  biography  to  the  public,  with  the 
hope  that  thread-bare^cii'ort  will  now  give  place  to  authentic  it  ii.  Throughout 
the  work,  it  has  been  his  principal  design  to  examine  critically  the  sugges- 
tions, to  unmask  the  sophistrii,  and  to  expose  the  bare  faced  calumny  of  several 
who  have  preceded  him  ;  and  then  to  present  his  readers  with  a  perfect  and 
authentic  record  of  the  life,  the  virtues,  and  the  actions  of  the  illustrious  ST. 
PATRICK,  with  the  best  corroborative  teslimony  of  the  truth  of  his  de> 
tail." — Preface. 

A  COLLECTION  OF  TRACTS  on  several  subjects,  connect- 
ed with  the  civil  and  religious  principles  of  Catholics,  by  the 
Rev.  J.  Lingard,  D.  D. 

"The  man  who  embraces  a  religious  opinion  from  conviction,  has  undoubt- 
edly the  richt  to  maintain  it  by  argument;  but  truth,  ■wi\l  be  his  first  and 
principal  object ;  the  champion  of  truth,  will  disdain  the  petty  artifices  of 
substituting  assertion  for  proof,  and  misrepresentation  for  fact." 

CHRISTIANITY;  or  the  evidences  and  character  of  the  Chris- 
tian Religion,  by  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Poynter,  V.  A.  L. 

12>no.  2^l(iin  binding,  75  cents 

"Christianity  is  that  form  of  religion,  which  was  taught  by  Christ;  It  embra 
ces  the  doctrines  of  that  faith  which  Christ  revealed  :  the  supernatural  moral 
precepts  which  he  delivered  :  the  sacred  rites  which  he  instituted:  and  the 
constitution  which  he  founded  for  the  government  of  his  church.  Christian- 
ity is  the  work  of  God  ;  a  munificientwork  in  the  establishment  and  support 
of  which,  he  has  displayed  his  power,  his  wisdom,  his  mercy  and  goodness, 
even  in  a  stronger  light,  than  in  the  creation  and  preservation  of  the  world, 
its  ead  is  the  gfory  of  God,  and  the  renovation  and  eternal  happiness  of  man. 


Published  by  F.  Lucas,  Jr.  17 

This  treatise  is  presented  to  the  public  by  its  Reverend  author  with  a  hope 
that  it  may  be  of  some  service,  in  confirming  the  true  believer  in  his  adhesion 
to  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  in  directing  others  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth 
of  Christianity. 

SPIRITUAL  RETREAT,  for  eight  successive  days  :  with  me- 
ditations and  considerations,  for  ecclesiastics,  religious,  and  all 
devout  Christians— from  the  French  of  Bourdaloue,  a  Father  of 
the  Society  of  Jesus.  18?no.  plain  binding,  75  cents. 

The  plan  of  this  "Retreat,"  is  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  ecclesiastical  and 
religious  States :  but,  it  is  also  suited  to  Christians  engaged  in  tlie  world  ;  for 
the  great  truths  of  Christianity  are  always  the  same  in  substance,  and  they 
regard  all  states  and  conditions  :  the  only  ditFerence  being  in  the  application 
of  them  ;  hence,  each  individual  may  with  advantage  apply  them  to  his  dispo- 
sition and  situation  in  life. 

MRS.  HERBERT  AND  THE  VILLAGERS;  or  familiar  con- 
versations on  the  principal  duties  of  Christianity. 

2  vols,  cloth  backs,  ^1.50. 

From  this  excellent  work  we  make  the  following  selection  "Introduc- 
tory Chapler." 

Margaret. — I  ask  pardon,  madam,  for  the  liberty  I  take  in  wailing  on  you; 
but  our  little  Peggy  sent  me  word  you  had  taken  so  much  pains  to  teach  her  to 
read,  since  she  has  been  in  her  new  place,  that  I  made  bold  to  return  you  my 
best  thanks,  as  soon  as  I  heard  you  were  in  the  parish. 

Mrs.  Herbert. — I  am  glad  to  see  you  again,  my  good  Margaret.  Little  Peggy 
gives  great  satisfaction  to  her  master  and  mistress;  and  is  extremely  desirous 
of  being  acquainted  with  her  duty  towards  God,  and  towards  them.  Slie 
begged  that  I  would  present  her  duty  to  you,  and  her  love  to  her  brothers  and 
sisters. 

JWarD-are«.— Indeed,  madam,  she  took  a  great  liberty;  but  God  bless  her 
little  soul!  Peggy  had  always  a  good  heart.  As  for  what  concerns  her  duty, 
to  be  sure  she  wanted  to  be  instructed  in  that.  We  poor  folks  in  the  country, 
madam,  have  not  much  time  to  talk  to  our  children  about  it;  and  besides,  few 
of  us  know  how  to  read  in  books,  like  those  that  live  in  towns.  As  for  my 
part,  I  never  had  any  schooling  at  all;  and  besides,  God  help  me!  I  have  quite 
enough  to  do,  to  put  bread  into  my  children's  mouths,  without  giving  them 
learning.  However,  I  always  tell  them  to  be  honest,  and  to  wrong  nobody. 
Upon  that  score,  neither  I,  nor  their  father,  (God  rest  his  soul!)  had  ever  any 
thing  to  reproach  ourselves. 

Mrs.  Hcrhert.— Yon  are  to  be  commended  for  recommending  honesty  to  your 
children.  To  serve  God  sincerely,  and  to  do  to  others  as  we  would  be  done 
by,  is  the  way  to  heaven,  Margaret. 

Margaret.— As  for  serving  God,  madam — 'tis  you  rich  folks  that  can  do 
that  best.  For  us,  who  are  obliged  to  work  from  morning  till  niclit— we  have 
hardly  time  to  say  an  "Our  Father"  twice  a  day,  and  to  get  to  church  on  the 
Sunday. 

Mrs.Herlert.—  Yon  are  quite  mistaken,  Margaret,  in  fancying  that  the  rich 
can  serve  God  more  easily  than  the  poor.  I  shall  spend  the  summ.er  in  this 
place;  and  if  you  have  a  mind  to  come  to  my  house  for  half  an  hour  on 
Sundays,  after  prayers,  and  to  bring  any  of  your  friends  with  you,— we  will 
talk  together  concerning  the  means  of  serving  God;  and  I  trust  yon  will  be 
convinced,  that  you  poor  people  may  go  to  heaven  as  easily  as  ourselves. 
Good  evening,  Margaret.    I  shall  expect  you  next  Sunday. 

VISITS  TO  THE  BLESSED  SACRAMENT  AND  TO  THE 
BLESSED  VIRGIN,  FOR  EVERY  DAY  IN  THE  MONTH. 
Translated  from  the  Italian  of  Liguori.  1  vol.  32nio.,  50  cts. 

The  work,  a  translation  of  whith  is  here  offered  to  the  Catholic  public, 
comes  from  the  pen  of  a  respectable  prelate,  renowned  for  his  excellent 
treatises  on  theology,  and  his  productions  of  piety.  The  name  of  "LicuoRr," 
particularly  in  the  kingdom  of  Naples,  suffices  for  a  book's  eulogium.    The 


18  Standard  Catholic  Books. 

writings  of  this  author  prove  him  to  have  been  possessed  of  an  enlightened 
and  solid  mind,  and,  moreover,  exhibit  the  effusions  of  a  heart  filled  witb 
that  tender  and  ardent  devotion,  which  breathes  nothing  but  God  alone. 
Such  is,  in  a  particular  manner,  the  character  of  this  little  production,  entitled 
Visits  to  the  Blessed  Sacrament  and  to  the  Blessed  Virgin.  The  senti- 
ments which  it  conveys,  seems  to  flow  from  the  abundance  of  a  heart  in- 
flamed with  divine  love. 

All  those  who  are  devoted  to  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  adorable  Sacrament,  will 
here  meet  with  the  affectionate,  yet  simple,  artless,  and  unstudied  sentiments, 
which  they  ought  to  express  to  their  loving  Saviour.  Such  as  are  excluded 
from  the  opportunity  of  offering  their  devotions  to  Jesus  Christ  in  his  temples, 
may  make  use  of  this  book  at  their  homes.  All  classes  of  christians  will  find 
it  of  singular  utility  on  the  days  on  which  they  have  the  happiness  of  receiving 
Jesus  Clirist  in  the  holy  communion,  and  also  during  the  adorable  sacrifice 
of  the  mass. 

The  prayers  to  the  blessed  Virgin,  which  succeed  each  visit  to  the  holy  sa- 
crament, and  which  the  author  designed  to  be  recited  before  an  altar  dedicated 
to  her,  are,  for  the  most  part,  taken  from  the  writings  of  the  holy  fathers,  and 
contain  just  and  solid  sentiments  of  devotion  to  the  mother  of  Jesus. 

The  devout  aspirations,  which  will  be  found  at  the  conclusion  of  the  visits 
to  the  blessed  Sacrament  and  to  the  blessed  Virgin,  may  be  recited  occasion- 
ally during  mass.  To  render  this  little  production  still  more  complete,  the 
author  has  subjoined  a  method  of  hearing  mass,  devotions  for  confession  and 
communion,  and  meditations  for  every  day  in  thelweek,  on  some  of  the  most 
moving  truths  of  religion. 

The  translator  knows  no  language  more  proper  for  concluding  this  prefara- 
tory  notice  to  the  reader,  than  by  addressing  him  in  the  words  of  the  pious 
author,  which  he  begs  leave  to  adopt  as  his  own.  "1  entreat  you,  ray  dear 
reader,  not  to  slight  this  small  work  on  account  of  the  simplicity  of  its  style. 
This  simplicity  I  have  studied  with  the  view  of  accommodating  it  to  the 
devotion  of  all  classes  of  persons.  I  earnestly  entreat  you,  also,  as  often  as 
you  make  use  of  this  book,  to  recommend  me,  both  during  my  life  and  after 
my  death,  to  Jesus  in  the  adorable  sacrament.  And  I,  on  my  part,  engage, 
every  time  I  celebrate  the  holy  mysteries,  to  pray  for  those  who  do  this  favour 
for  me;  and  after  my  departure  hence  I  hope  to  be  saved,  and  to  continue  to 
pray  for  them  in  the  vv'orld  to  come."    Live  Jesus  and  Mary.    Amen. 

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HOMILiIES 


OK 


wmm  m%®m.  ®w  w%m^A^^> 


OR 


A  FAMILIAR  EXPLICATIOPT 


OF  THE 


PRACTICAL  DUTIES  OF  DOMESTIC  LIFE. 


BY  THE^ 
REV.  FRANCZS^XMCARTYN. 


BALTIMORE: 

PUBLISHED  BY  FIELDING  LUCAS,  Jr. 

JVb.  138  J^arket  Street. 


f^t 


Printed  by  Wm.  Ji.  Francis. 


APPROBATION. 

I  recommend  to  the  Faithful,  a  work  recently 
published  by  Fielding  Lucas,  Jr.  entitled,  "  Homilies 
on  the  Book  of  Tobias,  by  the  Rev.  Francis  Martyn." 

t  JAMES,  ArchY  of  Baltimore. 
Baltimore,  2(J  December,  1831. 


PREFACE. 


There  is  hardly  a  subject  on  which  the  notions  of  the 
world  are  more  erroneous,  more  at  variance  with  the  doc- 
trine of  the  gospel,  than  the  nature  of  sanctity,  and  the 
means  of  attaining  to  it.  Numbers  are  deterred  from 
even  attempting  to  attain  to  it,  because  the  world  incul- 
cates to  its  deluded  followers,  that  to  be  a  "Saint"  it  is 
necessary  to  retire  from  all  the  accustomed  walks  of  life, 
and  bid  adieu  to  every  earthly  comfort  and  enjoyment. 
Hence  sanctity  is  considered  by  too  many,  as  the  portion 
of  those  only  who  by  their  profession  have  renounced 
the  world  and  consecrated  their  days  to  religious  retire- 
ment. But,  it  is  not  from  the  maxims  of  the  world,  or 
the  lives  of  its  followers,  that  a  Christian  will  form  his 
ideas  of  that  holiness,  and  sanctity  of  life,  to  which  he  is 
called.  Happily  for  us,  sanctity  is  not  confined  to  any  one 
state  of  life,  but  is  attainable  in  all  situations.  That  Di- 
vine Being,  who  is  the  common  Father  of  the  great  fami- 
ly of  mankind,  has  allotted  different  stations  to  his  chil- 
dren, that  each  one,  by  fulfilling  with  fidelity  the  respec- 
tive duties  which  his  station  brings  along  with  it,  may 
merit  the  favour  of  his  Creator  and  tender  Parent  in  this 
life,  and  deserve  to  receive  from  the  hand  of  his  bounty, 
a  crown  of  eternal  glory  in  the  life  to  come. 

It  is  true  that  some  of  our  fellow-creatures  who  are 
acknowledged  Saints,  inspired  by  God  with  an  utter  con- 
tempt of  all  earthly  things,  have  actually  renounced  the 
world  and  its  enjoyments;  have  immured  themselves  in 
lonesome  retirement,  and  devoting  their  days  to  the  prac- 
tice of  constant  and  rigorous  penance,  have  presented 
their  bodies  a  living  sacrifice  to  the  Almighty.     That  this 


O  PREFACE. 

their  sacrifice,  that  these  their  austerities  and  self-denials 
were  pleasing  before  God  and  acceptable  in  his  sight,  is 
clear  from  the  extraordinary  graces  and  miraculous  gifts 
conferred  upon  them.  Yet,  this  part  of  the  conduct  of 
certain  eminent  servants  of  the  Most  High,  who  have 
trampled  the  world  under  their  feet,  and  have  shewn 
the  sublimity  of  perfection  to  which  human  nature  is 
capable  of  attaining  by  tiie  aid  of  divine  grace,  is  not 
what  we  are  any  where  commanded  to  imitate  as  necessary 
to  make  us  Saints. 

How  many  holy  persons  at  this  time  adorn  and  edify  the 
Church  of  God  by  their  holiness  and  sanctity  of  manners, 
whose  lives  present  nothing  extraordinary  or  uncommon, 
except  the  strict  regularity  with  which  they  perform  the 
exercises  of  religion,  and  the  duties  of  their  calling?  For 
this,  after  all,  is  the  most  extraordinary  circumstance  in 
the  lives  of  the  Saints  in  general,  that  their  example  is 
followed  by  so  few  Christians,  while  all  are  capable  of 
copying  it,  having  the  same  graces  to  assist  them,  and  the 
same  promised  reward  to  encourage  them.  Christian 
holiness  and  its  attendant  blessings,  belong  not  to  any  one 
state  o  life,  or  any  one  class  of  mankind  exclusively, 
but  are  open  to  all,  in  every  station,  who  sincerely  aim  at 
the  attaining  of  them.  This  truth  is  confirmed  by  the 
lives  of  the  faithful  servants  of  God,  both  in  the  Sacred 
Writings,  and  in  the  history  of  the  Church. 

Nothing  appears  better  calculated  to  remove  the 
prejudices,  and  correct  the  false  notions  of  the  world  re- 
specting sanctity,  notions  adopted  by  too  many  who  pro- 
fess themselves  Christians,  than  to  unfold  to  public  view 
the  edifying  examples  of  those  who  have  adorned  the 
common  paths  of  life  by  their  amiable  virtues,  and  sanc- 
tified themselves  by  the  practice  of  perfection.  With  this 
view  I  conceived  the  plan  of  detailing  to  the  dear  flock 
e  .trusted  to  my  care,  the  history  of  the  virtuous  Tobias 
and  his  son,  as  recorded  in  the  sacred  volumes.  The 
Book  of  Tobias  has  ever  appeared  to  me  one  of  the  most 
interesting  and  instructive  books  of  the  inspired  writings. 
It  presents  to  us,  in  the  virtues  of  those  holy  persons,  the 
most  edifjing  models  of  fidelity  in  the  discharge  of  the 


PREFACE.  7 

ordinary  duties  of  mankind.  The  duties  attached  to  the 
condition  of  married  persons,  parents,  and  masters  of 
families,  are  of  all  others  the  most  important,  and  those 
on  which  the  welfare  of  the  greater  part  of  mankind  de- 
pend. Vice  owes  its  universal  spread  to  that  ignorance 
and  that  neglect  of  these  obligations  which  reign  in  the 
world.  How  few  parents  seem  sensible  of  the  duties  at- 
tached to  their  condition!  How  few  are  aware  of  the 
importance  of  them!  How  many  Christians  are  seen 
strictly  attentive  to  certain  general  duties,  but  at  the  same 
time  ignorant  and  neglectful  of  the  particular  obligations 
belonging  to  their  respective  states  of  life.'' 

We  behold  in  Tobias  a  model  of  virtue  for  every  period 
of  life;  we  see  him  cautiously  shunning  in  his  youth  the 
snares  of  vice,  and  the  company  of  the  vicious,  increasing 
in  virtue  as  he  advances  in  years;  ever  steady  in  the  ob- 
servance of  his  religious  duties;  cherishing  in  his  mind  a 
constant  recollection  of  the  presence  of  God;  making  the 
divine  will  the  end  of  all  his  actions;  bowing  with  humble 
resignation  to  all  the  appointments  of  Providence;  atten- 
tive to  the  religious  instruction  of  his  child;  anxious  that 
all  his  family  should  serve  God  in  sincerity  and  truth; 
fiill  of  charity  fur  every  neighbour;  expossing  himself  to 
the  greatest  danger-  to  fulfil  the  duties  of  broiherly  love; 
revered  and  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him;  reaping,  even 
in  this  life,  the  fruits  of  his  piety,  in  the  favour  and  pro- 
tection of  heaven;  and  qutting  this  earthly  scene  of  exis- 
tence full  of  merit,  hope,  and  joy. 

The  young  Tobias,  like  his  father,  shews  us  a  constant 
picture  of  virtue  in  its  most  amiable  and  inviting"  form; 
his  history  lets  us  into  some  of  the  most  admirable  secrets 
of  God's  providence;  and  contains  the  most  instructive 
patterns  and  lessons  for  young  persons  about  to  enter 
into,  or  already  engaged  in,  the  married  state. 

It  now  remains  for  me  to  say  a  few  words  on  the  "form" 
in  which  the  following  instructions  make  their  appear- 
ance. They  are  entitled,  Homilies,  or  familiar  instruc- 
tions, having  been  delivered  as  a  series  of  familiar  dis- 
courses. This  method  seemed  to  me  the  best  adapted  to 
convey  these  instructions  to   the  minds  of  my  hearers, 


8  PREFACE. 

being  in  itself  the  most  plain  and  simple,  and  at  the  same 
time  affording  me  an  opportunity  of  dilating  more  at 
length  than  a  regular  sermon  would  have  permitted,  on 
those  points  which  I  thought  would  be  most  useful  to  my 
flock.  As  the  spiritual  improvement  of  those  intrusted  to 
my  care  was  the  object  of  these  Homilies,  the  style  will 
be  found  less  adapted  to  the  subjects  that  are  treated, 
than  to  the  condition  of  the  persons  to  whom  they  were 
addressed.  The  greater  part  of  our  congregations  in 
general,  are  persons  whose  minds  have  received  little  or 
no  cultivation,  and  to  whom,  therefore,  the  truths  of  sal- 
vation cannot  be  delivered  in  too  plain  and  intelligible  a 
form.  Where  these  instructions  have  not  produced  the 
desired  fruit,  I  am  too  sensible  of  my  own  unworthiness, 
to  ascribe  the  failure  to  any  other  cause.  In  several 
members  of  my  flock,  the  good  effects  of  these  discourses 
have  been  visible  in  their  better  acquaintance  with  their 
most  important  duties,  and  more  diligent  attention  to  the 
discharge  of  them.  For  this  blessing,  both  they  and  I 
are  indebted  to  the  unbounded  goodness  of  that  heavenly 
Husbandman,  who  alone,  when  hi?  servants  have  planted 
and  watered,  can  give  the  increase,  and  who  lets  not  the 
unworthiness  of  his  workmen  prevent  his  giving  his  bles- 
sing where,  in  the  decrees  of  his  mercy,  he  designs  to 
bestow  it.     To  him  be  glory  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 

F.  M. 

St.  Thomases,  Bloxwich, 


HOMILIES 


BOOK  OF  TOBIAS, 


The  Book  of  Tobias  takes  its  name  from  the  holy 
servant  of  God,  whose  life  and  extraordinary  virtues 
it  records.  Though  the  Jews  did  not  admit  the  histo- 
ry of  Tobias  into  what  is  termed  the  canon,  or  ac- 
knowledged collection,  of  inspired  writings,  yet  by 
the  Catholic  Church,  which  received  the  canon  of 
Scriptures,  not  from  the  Jews,  but  from  the  Apostles 
of  Christ,  this  book  has  always  been  acknowledged 
to  be  one  of  the  canonical  Books  of  Scripture.  In- 
deed we  find  it  frequently  referred  to  as  a  part  of  the 
Bible  in  the  writings  of  the  earliest  Fathers  of  the 
Church.  Whoever  reads  with  any  degree  of  atten- 
tion the  Book  of  Tobias,  must  be  convinced  that  there 
is  no  portion  of  the  Old  Testament  which  abounds 
with  more  excellent  lessons  of  morality,  or  which  is 
better  calculated  to  inspire  a  love  of  virtue,  and  train 
the  heart  to  the  practice  of  religion.  To  open  to  you 
dear  Christians,  the  sublime  moial  precepts  which  the 
Book  of  Tobias  inculcates,  and  at  the  same  time  to 
make  you  acquainted  with  the  history  of  that  holy 
man,  whose  virtues  it  records,  and  whose  example 
presents  a  perfect  pattern  of  the  true  servant  of  God, 
is  the  design  of  the  following  familiar  discourses. 
May  the  God  of  all  mercy  grant  that  the  instructions 
which  they  convey,  may  tend  to  your  improvement 
both  in  the  knowledge  and  practice  of  your  Christian 
duties. 

2 


14  FIRST  HOMILY  ON 


FIRST  HOZIfl[ZI.Y^ 

Chap.  I  vcr.  1.  Tobias  was  of  the  tribe  and  city  of  Nephthalia- 
2.  When  he  was  made  captive  in  the  days  of  Salmanasar,  king 
of  the  Assyrians,  even  in  his  captivity  lie  forsook  not  the  way 

of  truth 3.  But   every    day  gave  all  he  could  get  to  his 

brethren,  his  fellow-captives,    that  were  of  his  kindred 

4.  And  when  he  was  younger  than  any  of  the  tribe  of  Neph- 
thalia,  yet  did  he  no  childish  thing  in  his  work 5.  More- 
over, when  all  went  to  the  golden  calves,    which   Jeroboam 

king  of  Israel  had  made,  he  alone  fled  the  company  of  all, 

6.  and  went  to  Jerusalem  to  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  and  there 
adored  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  offering  faithfully  all  his  first- 
fruits,  and  his  tithes,..  ..7.  so  that  in  the  third  year  he  gave  all 

his  tithes  to  the  proselytes  and  strangers 8.  These,  and  such 

like  things,  did  he  observe  when  but  a  boy,  according  to  the 
law  of  God. 

Such  is  the  short,  but  highly  instructive  account, 
dear  Christians,  which  the  •-  oly  Scripture  gives  of 
the  youth  lobias;  a  youth  spent  in  the  practice  of 
virtue,  in  the  faithful  discharge  of  every  moral  duty, 
and  the  diligent  observance  of  tlie  law  of  God.  Piety 
is  in  every  age  acceptable  to  God,  and  the  source  of 
grace  and  blessing  to  him  whose  heart  obeys  its  dic- 
tates and  follows  its  maxims.  Eut  in  the  season  of 
youth  a  virtuous  conduct  is  peculiarly  pleasing  to  the 
Almighty,  since  it  consecrates  to  him  the  first-fruits  of 
a  being  received  from  him,  and  destined  to  promote 
his  glory,  i^t  the  moment  in  which  we  ai'rive  at  the 
use  of  reason,  it  becomes  an  indispensable  obligation 
to  each  of  us,  to  dedicate  our  being,  with  its  faculties 
and  powers,  to  the  service  of  our  Creator,  by  direct- 
ing all  our  actions  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  perform- 
ing them  with  a  pure  intention  of  pleasing  him,  and  of 
promoting  the  great  end  of  our  existence — our  union 
with  God  in  a  future  state.  Happy  are  they  who 
faithfully  comply  with  this  important  obligation ! 
Happy  those  Christian  parents,  who  both  by  word 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  15 

and  example  are  careful  to  instil  this  grand  principle 
of  religion  into  the  tender  minds  of  their  children, 
teaching  them  to  make,  at  least  at  their  morning  devo- 
tions, this  daily  consecration  of  their  actions  to  the  Su- 
preme Being.  This  pure  intention  is  the  essence  of 
Christian  piety.  Without  it,  the  most  heroic  outward 
acts  of  virtue  have  no  claim  to  a  supernatural  reward; 
with  it,  the  most  trifling  employments  become  virtues, 
are  sanctified  and  rendered  meritorious  of  an  eternal 
crown. 

So  pleasing  is  early  piety  in  the  sight  of  God,  that 
he  showers  down  upon  those  who  make  him  this  ac- 
ceptable offering,  such  abundant  stores  of  grace  as 
enable  them  to  persevere  to  the  end  of  their  days  in 
the  path  of  virtue.  Of  this  truth  the  holy  Tobias  is 
an  admirable  and  illustrious  example.  The  Scripture 
testifies,  that  when  but  a  boy  he  was  faithful  in  all  the 
duties  enjoined  by  the  divine  law.  His  virtue  at  that 
early  age  was  put  to  the  severest  trial.  Nothing 
could  be  more  dangerous  than  the  situation  in  which 
Tobias  found  himself  placed  in  his  youth.  Ten  out 
of  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel  had  renounced  the  wor- 
ship of  the  true  God,  and  adored  the  idols  that  had 
been  erected  by  the  impious  Jeroboam.  After  a  long 
forbearance  and  repeated  admonitions  on  the  part  of 
the  Almighty,  the  ten  tribes  were,  in  punishment  of 
their  idolatry,  delivered  into  the  hands  of  Salmanasar, 
king  of  Assyria,  who  drove  them  from  their  country, 
and  carried  them  captives  into  his  own  dominions. 
Notwithstanding  this  visible  display  of  God's  justice, 
the  idolatrous  tribes  remained  obstinate  in  their  wick- 
edness. Among  the  captives  or  prisoners  was  the 
young  Tobias;  but  the  captivity  which  was  to  his 
companions  a  punishment  inflicted  by  the  hand  of 
God's  justice,  was  to  him,  in  the  order  of  Providence, 
the  trial  and  the  perfection  of  his  virtue.  How  edify- 
ing, how  encouraging  is  the  example  of  this  holy- 
young  man,  fiirm  and  steady  in  the  practice  of  every 


16  FIRST  HOMILY  ON 

duty,  full  of  affection  for  the  divine  law,  and  faithful 
in  the  exercise  of  his  religion,  though  living  in  the 
midst  of  his  idolatrous  countrymen,  from  whom  his 
virtue  no  doubt  met  w^ith  the  severest  trials,  with  fre- 
quent scoffs,  ridicule,  and  contempt!  Steady  in  his 
adherence  to  the  true  faith,  Tobias  avoided  the  com- 
pany of  the  idolaters,  and  took  no  part  in  their  wor- 
ship. He  knew  nothing  of  the  temporising  disposi- 
tion of  worldlings,  who  accommodate  their  profession 
of  religion  to  times  and  circumstances.  But,  sensible 
of  the  necessity  of  true  faith  in  order  to  please  God, 
and  convinced  that  it  is  no  less  an  insult  to  the  God  of 
truth  to  refuse  assent  to  revealed  tiuths,  than  to  diso- 
bey his  moral  precepts,  Tobias  was  careful  never  to 
give  sanction  or  encouragement  to  error  by  being  pre- 
sent at  the  idolatrous  worship  practised  by  his  coun- 
trymen. With  the  strictest  regularity,  he,  at  the  times 
appointed  by  the  Jewish  law%  w^ent  up  to  adore  the 
true  God,  the  God  of  his  fathers,  in  Jerusalem;  in 
which  city  alone  were  to  be  found  the  priesthood  es- 
tablished by  God,  and  the  temple  chosen  by  himself 
to  be  the  place  of  his  divine  worship. 

In  the  new  law,  the  holy  Catholic  Church  is  our 
Jerusalem.  Tn  whatever  part  of  the  world  Provi- 
dence may  place  us,  we  are  ever  to  preserve  inviolate 
our  communion  with  this  the  only  true  Church,  and  in 
her  spirit,  and  according  to  her  laws,  to  pay  our  ho- 
mage and  adoration  to  the  Supreme  Being.  Nothing 
can  justify  our  joining  in  any  other  form  of  religious 
worship  than  that  which  is  established  and  practised 
in  the  Catholic  Church,  "  the  pillar  and  the  ground  of 
truth.  " 

The  regularity  of  the  good  Tobias  in  the  strict  ob- 
servance of  the  laws  of  God  and  iiis  Church,  will,  I 
fear,  be  a  stinging  reproach,  a  severe  condemnation  to 
thousands  of  slothful  Catholics,  who  preferring  their 
ease,  their  pleasures,  or  their  worldly  business  before 
their  eternal  welfare,  stay  away  from  the  holy  sacri- 


IPHE  book  of  TOBIAS.  1? 

fice  of  the  mass  on  Sundays  and  days  of  obligation, 
profane  the  holidays  of  the  Church  by  unnecessary 
work,  or  disregard  the  days  of  abstinence  and  fasting, 
which  the  Church  enjoins  as  a  salutary  punishment  of 
our  sinful  and  rebellious  flesh.  In  vain  will  such 
Christians  at  the  day  of  judgment  appeal  to  their  pro- 
fession of  faith  as  their  claim  to  an  inheritance  in  the 
kingdom  of  life.  The  Sovereign  Judge,  while  he  re- 
proves them  for  their  base  ingratitude,  vi'ill  thunder 
out  against  them  the  dreadful  sentence,  "  Depart  from 
me,  1  know  you  not." 

Obedience  to  the  commands  of  the  Church  is  a 
duty  inculcated  in  clear  and  strong  terms  by  our  di-^ 
vine  Redeemer,  when  speaking  to  his  Apostles,  and  in 
them  to  the  Pastors  of  his  Church,  he  says,  "  He  that 
heareth  you,  heareth  me ;  he  that  despiseth  you,  de- 
spiseth  me. "  If  they  who  refuse  obedience  to  the 
lawful  orders  of  their  temporal  superiors,  are  declar- 
ed by  the  Apostle  St.  Paul  to  resist  the  ordinance  of 
God,  and  to  purchase  to  themselves  damnation,  what 
shall  we  say  of  the  crime  of  those,  who  called  by  the 
divine  mercy  into  the  true  Church,  and  acknowledg- 
ing her  sacred  authority,  despise  her  injunctions,  and 
disregard  her  precepts !  Let  not  then,  dear  Chris- 
tians, the  conduct  of  others,  however  great  their  num- 
bers, however  respectable  their  rank  and  condition  in 
life,  or  however  edifying  their  lives  may  be  in  other 
points,  induce  you  to  transgress  the  precepts  of  the 
Church.  But,  like  the  good  Tobias,  grateful  to  Hea- 
ven for  the  blessing  of  true  faith,  and  the  knowledge 
of  your  religious  duties,  and  flying  from  the  corrup- 
tion of  evil  example,  preserve  in  the  whole  tenor  of 
your  lives  an  undeviating  fidelity  in  the  observance  of 
the  laws  both  of  God  and  his  Church.  This  strict 
adherence  to  the  practice  of  your  religion  will  secure 
you  the  esteem  of  those  among  whom  you  live,  and 
who  never  fail  to  compare  your  lives  with  the  faith 
which  you  profess :  it  will  also  draw  down  the  bles- 
2* 


18  FIRST  HOMILY  ON 

sing  of  God  upon  your  lawlul  temporal  concerns,  be- 
sides affording  you  a  well  grounded  title  to  an  ever- 
lasting recompense  in  heaven. 

Tobias  looked  upon  nothing  as  trivial  or  unimport- 
ant, which  regarded  the  service  of  God.  He  v^^as 
careful  to  practise  not  only  the  more  important  obliga- 
tions of  religion,  but  fulfilled  the  injunctions  of  the 
law  in  every  point :  "he  offered  faillifully  his  first- 
fruits  and  tithes." — It  was  enjoined  by  the  law,  that 
the  first-fruits  of  the  produce  of  the  earth,  and  the 
first-born  of  animals,  should  bs  given  for  the  support 
of  the  priests.  The  tithes  appointed  by  the  law  were 
of  three  kinds :  one  tithe  or  tenth-part  of  the  fruits  of 
the  earth,  of  corn,  and  of  animals,  was  for  the  Levites 
or  ministers  consecrated  to  the  divine  service;  another 
tithe  was  to  be  laid  up  each  year,  to  be  ealcn  at  a  feast 
provided  for  the  Levites  and  for  the  poor ;  the  third 
tithe  was  to  be  reserved  every  three  years,  to  be  dis- 
tributed among  strangers  and  proselytes,  that  is,  such 
persons  as  were  converted  from  idolatry  to  the  Jewish 
faitb.  In  the  fulfilment  of  all  these  ordinances,  Tobi- 
as," afe  soon  as  he  was  master  of  his  property,  was  no 
less  exact  than  in  the  observance  of  the  feasts  com- 
mandedby  the  law.  He  did  not,  as  is  the  case  with 
too  many.  Christians,  put  the  calls  of  worldly  interest 
in  competition  with  those  of  duty,  nor  stop  to  consi- 
der whether  the  compliance  with  these  obligations 
might  not  be  injurious  to  his  temporal  concern!:.  'l"o- 
bias  was  fully  persuaded,  that  without  the  divine  bless- 
ing no  temporal  concerns  can  prosper ;  and  that  the 
surest  method  of  securing  this  blessing,  is  a  ready  and 
exact  obedience  to  the  laws  of  God  and  his  Church. 
"  Who  hath  first  given  to  God,  and  recompense  shall 
be  made  him,"  cries  out  the  Apostle  St.  Paul,  l\om. 
ii.  35.  This  truth  was  deeply  impressed  upon  the 
mind  of  Tobias,  and  formed  an  invincible  rampart 
against  all  the  suggestions  that  flesh  and  blood  might 
have  thrown  in  the  way  of  a  duty,  which  he  perform- 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  1  9 

ed  from  a  liigher  motive  than  any  earthly  emolument — 
tlie  love  of  God,    and   a  desire  of  an  eternal  reward. 

As  in  the  old  law  God  was  pleased  to  separate 
from  the  rest  of  his  people  the  trihe  of  Levi  to  serve 
him  in  the  temple;  so  in  the  new  law, the  holy  Church 
of  God  requires  of  those  who  engage  in  the  sacred 
functions  of  her  ministry,  a  renouncing  of  secular 
employments,  and  a  detachment  from  worldly  business. 
She  exacts  from  them  the  most  consummate  chastity 
of  soul  and  body,  that  with  unsullied  purity  they  may 
perform  the  high  and  truly  sacred  obligations  of  their 
calling,  and,  unfettered  by  any  earthly  tie,  may  be 
ready  day  and  night  to  attend  to  the  spiritual  necessi- 
ties of  the  dear  souls  entrusted  to  their  care.  To 
these  salutary  ordinances  of  the  Catliolic  Church  are 
owing  those  heroic,  edifying,  and  triumphant  exam- 
ples, so  often  manifested  to  tlie  world,  of  pastors  sac- 
rificing their  ease,  their  rest,  their  health,  and  even 
life  itself,  in  promoting  the  glorious  work  of  the  sal- 
vation of  ."^ouls. 

Having  tiius  provided  for  the  sanctity  of  her  minis- 
ters, and  the  spiritual  welfare  of  her  children,  in  order 
that  no  pretext  of  necessity  may  induce  her  pastors  to 
sacrifice  any  portion  of  their  precious  time  to  tempo- 
ral concerns,  the  Church  by  a  positive  command  en- 
joins, that  all  the  faithful  shall,  each  according  to  his 
respective  ability,  contribute  to  the  maintainance  and 
support  of  their  pastors.  This  law  of  the  Church  has 
its  foundation  in  reason  and  justice,  and  merely  enforces 
and  d(.terinines  an  obligation  frequently  inculcated  in 
the  holy  Scripture.  In  countries  where  the  Catholic 
religion  is  not  established  by  law,  the  manner  of  ful- 
filling this  duty  is  le.ft  to  the  conscience  of  individuals. 
But  each  congregation  should  bear  in  ir.ind,  that  the 
spirit  of  the  Church  is  every  where  the  same,  and  con- 
sequently it  is  the  duty  of  all  to  consider  the  tempo- 
ral necessities  of  their  pastors,  who  minister  to  their 
own  spiritual  wants,  and,  like  Tobias,  cheerfully  and 


20  iPlRST  HOMILY  ON 

conscientiously  contribute  to  the  decent   support  of 
tlie  ministers  of  the  altar. 

Such,  dear  Christians,  are  the  admirable  lessons  of 
morality,  of  \rhich  Tobias,  even  in  youth,  was  a  per- 
fect pattern.  This  holy  man  lived  under  a  law  in 
which  the  means  for  attaining"  to  sanctity  were  far  in- 
ferior to  those  which  Providence  has  bestowed  upon 
you.  You  have  both  the  doctrine  and  the  example  of 
a  God  made  man  to  direct,  to  animate,  and  to  encour- 
age you.  This  divine  legislator  has  not  only  delivered 
to  you  his  precepts,  and  pointed  out  the  path  which 
will  conduct  you  to  happiness,  but  has  witli  the  price 
of  his  blood  purchased  for  you  those  treasures  of 
grace  that  will  enable  you  to  persevere  faithfully  in 
his  service  until  death.  These  treasures  of  grace  he 
has  left  you  in  the  holy  sacraments  and  saciifice  of 
his  Church,  the  constant  and  never  failing  fountains  of 
mercy.  Approach  to  them  with  humility,  with  confi- 
dence, and  with  a  sincere  desire  of  advancing  daily 
towards  Christian  perfection.  Your  diligence  and 
fidelity  in  using  these  holy  means  of  salvation,  will 
obtain  for  you  the  grace  to  be  faithful  in  every  duty 
to  God  here,  and  entitle  you  to  the  reward  of  faithful 
servants  in  the  kingdom  of  his  arlorv  hereafter. 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  21 


SECOND  HOMILY. 

Chap.  L  ver.  9.     But  when  he  was  a  man,  he  took  to  wife  Anna, 
of  his  own  tribe,  and  had  a  son  by  her,  whom  he  called  by  his 

own   name, 10.  and  from  his  infancy  he  taught  him   to 

fear  God  and  to  abstain  from  all  sin. 

In  the  portion  of  holy  Scripture  which  forms  the 
subject  of  my  present  instruction,  the  good  Tobias  is 
held  out  to  you,  my  beloved  brethren,  a  perfect  model 
of  virtue  in  the  mature  age  of  manhood.  You  have 
seen  him  in  his  youth  an  admirable  pattern  of  the 
strictest  fidelity  in  the  exact  discharge  of  every  duty. 
You  are  now  to  enjoy  the  pleasing  prospect  of  the 
beauteous  blossoms  of  that  tender  age  succeeded  by 
an  abundant  crop  of  fruit  in  his  riper  years.  As  the 
married  state  is  that  which  embraces  by  far  the 
greater  part  of  mankind,  it  is  true  that  the  happiness 
or  misery  of  a  very  considerable  proportion  of  our 
fellow-creatures  depends  upon  the  discharge  or 
neglect  of  the  duties  of  that  state.  There  is  no  class 
of  duties,  then,  the  knowledge  of  which  is  of  greater 
importance.  Yet  it  is  a  fact  no  less  melancholy  than 
certain,  that  there  is  no  class  of  duties  less  known,  or 
more  neglected,  than  this.  The  history  of  Tobias 
will  afford  another  opportunity  of  directing  your  se- 
rious consideration  to  the  duties  which  married  per- 
sons reciprocally  owe  to  each  other.  I  shall  for  the 
present,  therefore,  content  myself  with  observing  how 
careful  the  good  Tobias  was  in  following  the  injunc- 
tions of  the  divine  law  in  making  choice  of  a  wife, 
knowing,  as  he  did,  that  his  temporal  and  eternal  hap- 
piness depended  upon  his  securing  the  blessing  of 
heaven  on  that  important  step.  Happy  indeed  will 
those  Christians  be,  who,  like  this  holy  man,  endea- 
vour to  make  the  will  of  heaven  their  only  guide  in 
the  choice  which  they  make,  and  the  sanctification  of 


22  SECOND  HOMILY  OS 

their  souls  their  great  object  in  embracing  the  holy 
state  of  matrimony  !  Happy,  if  they  carefully  ob- 
serve the  regulations  of  the  holy  Church  of  God,  by 
neither  contracting  marriage  with  any  one  who  is  in 
the  forbidden  degrees  of  kindred,  nor  celebrating  it  at 
the  times  prohibited  by  her  authority. 

The  happy  fruit  of  the  holy  marriage  of  Tobias, 
was  a  son,  the  heir  to  his  father's  sanctity  and  extraor- 
dinary virtue.  But  to  what  was  the  young  man's  piety 
owing?  Under  God,  dear  Christians,  he  w-as  indebt- 
ed for  his  innocence  and  virtue  to  the  care  with  which 
his  father  performed  the  great  and  important  duties  of 
a  parent.  "From  his  infancy,  Tobias  taught  his  son 
to  fear  God  and  abstain  from  all  sin,"  ver.  10.  Who- 
ever reads  with  attention  the  lives  of  the  Saints,  will 
be  convinced  of  this  truth,  that  the  virtuous  lives  of 
those  holy  and  faithful  servants  of  God  were  the  fruits 
of  the  tender  care  with  which  their  parents  w^atched 
over  their  infant  years,  and  faithfully  fulfilled  the  trust 
imposed  upon  them  by  Providence,  of  training  their 
children  in  the  path  of  virtue.  On  the  other  hand, 
observation  and  experience,  both  of  present  and  past 
ages,  clearly  shew,  that  the  torrents  of  vice  which 
overrun  the  world,  and  bear  down  so  many  thousands 
of  mortals  into  the  gulph  of  eternal  misery,  have 
their  source  in  the  neglect  of  parents  to  discharge  the 
duties  which  their  state  imposes  on  them.  Earnestly 
then  do  I  conjure  you,  Christian  parents,  who  now 
hear  me,  to  give  me  your  most  serious  attention,  while 
I  unfold  to  you,  as  briefly  as  I  can,  the  obligations  of 
3''our  state,  and  point  out  to  you  in  what  manner  you 
may  best  discharge  them. 

Your  children  are  the  property  of  Almighty  God, 
to  whom  they  belong  upon  a  thousand  titles.  In  your 
hands  they  are  to  be  considered  as  so  many  talents, 
which  you  are  to  improve  to  the  best  of  your  power, 
that  you  may  one  day  restore  them  with  interest  to 
their  great  Lord  and  Master,     He  watches  your  con- 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBTAS.  23 

duct  towards  them  with  a  jealous  eye,  and  at  tlic  last 
and  terrible  day  of  his  judgement  will  demand  a  se- 
vere account  from  you  of  the  souls  of  your  children. 
To  impress  your  minds  with  a  sense  of  the  strict  obli- 
gation of  training  your  ofrs]iring  in  the  path  that  leads 
to  salvation,  and  of  the  judgments  which  await  those 
who  neglect  the  duty  which  they  owe  to  their  family, 
God  has  recorded  in  holy  writ  the  terrible  example  of 
the  high-priest  Heli.  AV  hat  Christian  parent  can  read 
the  dreadful  chastisement  with  which  the  Almighty, 
even  in  his  life,  visited  Heli's  criminal  neglect  of  the 
duties  of  a  father,  and  not  tremble,  lest  he  should 
stand  accused  at  the  tribunal  of  the  Sovereign  Judge 
of  having  been  wanting  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty 
to  his  family  !  Meditate  with  attention  on  this  exam- 
ple, and  be  convinced  of  one  important  truth,  that 
your  own  happiness  for  time  and  eternity  depends 
principally  upon  the  faithful  discharge  of  your  duties 
to  your  children. 

Heli  was  old  and  infirm ;  his  two  sons  Ophni  and 
Phinees  officiated  for  him  in  the  temple;  but  they 
were  bad  men,  and  did  much  evil  among  the  people, 
and  gave  great  scandal.  All  this  came  to  the  ears  of 
their  father ;  he  called  his  sons  to  him,  and  gave  them 
this  gentle  reprimand  :  "  Why  do  you  do  these  kinds 
of  things  which  I  hear,  very  wicked  things  from  all 
the  people.''  Do  not  so  my  sons,  for  it  is  no  good  re- 
port which  I  hear."  1  Kings,  ii.  23.  But  the  old 
man  went  no  furtlier;  he  did  not  use  the  authority 
with  which  he  v/as  invested  as  their  parent,  to  correct 
them  and  put  a  stop  to  their  disorders.  For  this  rea- 
son a  prophet  was  sent  to  him,  who,  in  the  name  of 
God,  upbraided  Heli  with  his  ingratitude  for  all  the  fa- 
vours God  had  shewn  him,  declared  that  his  neglect 
of  the  correction  of  his  children  was  honouring  them 
more  than  God,  and  denounced  the  most  severe  pun- 
ishments upon  him  and  his  family. 

All  this,  however,  did  not  rouse  this  too  indulgent 


24  SECOND  HOMILY  ON 

parent  to  a  sense  of  his  duty,  and  therefore  God  ap- 
peared some  time  after  to  the  prophet  Samuel,  and  re- 
vealed to  him,  that  all  the  evils  which  he  had  before 
threatened  would  speedily  fall  upon  Heli.  "  In  that 
day,  says  the  Lord,  I  will  raise  up  against  Heli  all  the 
things  that  I  have  spoken  concerning  his  house.  I  wall 
begin,  and  I  will  make  an  end.  For  1  have  foretold 
to  him,  that  I  will  judge  his  house  for  ever,  for  iniqui- 
ty, because  he  knew  that  his  sons  did  wickedly,  and 
did  not  chastise  them."  In  fact,  all  that  the  Lord  thus 
denounced  was  soon  after  accomplished.  Heli's  two 
sons  both  died  a  violent  death  in  one  day,  and  the  old 
man,  on  hearing  the  melancholy  news  of  their  untime- 
ly end,  fell  backwards  from  his  seat,  dislocated  his 
neck,  and  expired. 

The  tender  minds  of  children  are  capable  of  receiv- 
ing any  impression,  of  good  or  evil,  virtue  or  vice ; 
and  it  is  of  you,  parents,  that  God  expects  the  fulfil- 
ment of  the  great  duty  of  instilling  early  into  them 
good  and  virtuous  principles  of  action,  and  sowing  in 
their  hearts  the  seeds  of  virtue.  By  impressing  your 
children  with  a  reverential  love  and  esteem  for  you, 
and  placmg  them  during  infancy  in  a  total  dependence 
upon  you,  God  has  invested  you  with  the  power  of 
forming  their  minds  as  you  please.  Regulate,  then, 
your  natural  love  and  affection  for  them,  by  an  earnest 
desire  of  their  eternal  salvation.  Let  every  other  con- 
cern be  an  object  of  inferior  importance.  Suffer  not 
your  affection  for  them  to  degenerate  into  unnatural 
harshness  and  severeity  on  the  one  hand,  nor  a  pas- 
sionate fondness  on  the  other.  Carefully  preserve 
that  authority  which  God  has  given  you,  by  exacting 
the  most  prompt  and  ready  obedience  to  all  your  or- 
ders, encouraging  such  obedience  by  little  rewards, 
and  always  correcting  disobedience.  "  Give  not  thy 
child  liberty  in  his  youth,  and  wink  not  at  his  devices. 
Bow  down  liis  neck  whilst  he  is  young,  less  he  grow 
stubborn  and  regard  thee  not,  and  so  be  a  sorrow  of 
heart  to  theel "     Eccles.  xxx.  8. 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  25 

In  the  first  place,  then,  there  is  nothing,  Christian 
parents,  upon  which  the  success  of  your  endeavours 
in  training  up  your  children  to  virtue  so  much  depends, 
as  upon  your  rendering  them  thus  early  tractable  and 
obedient.  But  in  enforcing  this  obedience  there  is  one 
caution  which  I  wish  much  to  impress  upon  your 
minds.  It  is,  that  when  one  parent  orders  a  child  to 
do  any  thing  which  it  seems  unwilling  to  do,  the 
other  parent  never  take  the  part  of  the  child,  but  that 
parents  always  go  hand  in  hand  in  supporting  their 
mutual  authority. 

Besides  the  duty  of  rendering  their  children  obedi- 
ent, parents  are,  in  the  second  place,  under  a  strict  ob- 
ligation of  instructing  their  children  in  principles  of 
religion  and  piety,  and  in  the  law  of  God,  from  their 
earliest  years.  It  is  a  duty  expressly  enjoined  by  God 
himself  to  his  people :  "  These  words,  which  I  com- 
mand thee  this  day,  shall  be  in  thy  heart,  and  thou 
shalt  tell  them  to  thy  children.  "  Deut.  vi.  6.  The 
first  foundation  of  all  religious  instruction,  is  to  instil 
into  the  minds  of  children  a  fear  of  God,  and  a  horror 
of  all  sin.  Let  it  then  be  your  care,  Christian  parents, 
to  teach  your  children  early  to  pronounce  with  rever- 
ence and  respect  the  names  of  God  and  of  Jesus  Christ ; 
and  by  your  own  example  to  discourage  all  disrespect- 
ful and  profane  use  of  those  sacred  names.  -Acquaint 
them  with  the  torments  of  a  future  state  which  await 
the  wicked,  and  the  happiness  reserved  for  the  faithful 
servants  of  God.  Instruct  them  in  the  knowledge  of 
their  Creator,  and  of  their  total  dependence  upon  him. 
Teach  them  the  obligation  of  morning  and  evening 
prayer,  for  the  purpose  of  drawing  down  the  divine 
blessing,  and  see  that  they  are  regular  in  the  discharge 
of  that  sacred  duty.  As  soon  as  your  children  are 
capable  of  it,  consider  it  as  one  of  your  most  essen- 
tial duties  to  assist  them  in  the  learning  of  the  cate- 
chism at  home,  and  send  them  regularly  to  their  pas- 
3 


26  SECOND  HOMILY  ON 

tor,  on  Sundays  and  at  other  times  appointed  by  him, 
for  instruction.  Join  to  your  lessons  of  instruction,  a 
proper  watchfuhicss  over  the  conduct  of  your  cliildren ; 
and  carefully  remove  from  them  whatever  would  en- 
danger their  innocence,  or  might  prove  the  occasion 
of  sin,  especially  wicked  servants  and  evil  con-pany. 
Too  many  parents,  having  taught  their  cliildren  then- 
prayers  and  their  catechism,  rest  contented,  as  if  they 
had  discharged  the  obligations  which  their  stale  impo- 
ses upon  them.  They  leave  their  children  during  the 
day  almost  entirely  to  themselves,  giving  themselves 
no  concern  what  servants  are  employed  about  them, 
or  with  what  companions  they  associate.  In  these 
moments  of  neglect  the  seeds  of  vice  are  but  too  often 
thickly  sown,  and  take  too  deep  a  root  to  be  after- 
wards eradicated. 

In  the  third  place,  parents  are  under  a  strict  obliga- 
tion of  correcting  the  faults  of  their  children;  a  duty 
frequently  and  strongly  inculcated  in  holy  writ".  To 
impress  this  obligation  upon  you,  my  beloved  breth- 
ren, and  to  convince  you  how  jealous  Almighty  God 
is  of  the  strict  fulfilment  of  it,  I  need  but  remind  you 
of  the  example  of  fleli,  and  the  severe  vengeance 
which  he  drew  upon  himself,  by  his  sliameful  neglect 
of  this  duty.  In  administering  correction,  let  a  spirit 
of  mildness  and  prudence  be  your  guide ;  do  nothing 
in  a  passion,  but,  intiuenced  by  a  real  desire  of  your 
children's  eternal  welfare,  beg,  at  least  in  your  hearts, 
the  blessing  of  God  upon  your  endeavours;  and  strive 
to  convince  your  children,  that  you  correct  them,  not 
in  order  to  gratify  any  feehngs  of  your  own,  but  from 
a  motive  of  duty  to  God  and  to  them. 

But,  Christian  parents,  to  what  purpose  will  it  be  to 
correct  the  faults  of  your  children,  if  your  own  lives 
present  them  with  an  evil  pattern  ?  This  considera- 
tion unfolds  to  you  a  fourth  important  duty,  that  of 
giving  to  your  children  a  good  and  edifying  example 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  27 

in  the  faithful  practice  of  every  duty,  and  the  careful 
abstaining  from  all  sin.  In  vain  will  you  correct  your 
children  for  their  passions,  their  sinful  words,  or  the 
excessive  indulgence  of  their  appetites,  if  your  own 
lives  are  stained  with  the  crimes  which  you  reprove 
in  them.  It  is  to  your  example  that  your  children  look 
for  the  principles  by  which  to  guide  their  own  con- 
duct; and  if  by  your  example,  you  have  drawn  them 
into  sin,  and  entangled  them  in  habits  of  vice,  on  your 
heads  will  fall  with  ten-fold  vengeance  the  woes  de- 
nounced by  Jesus  Christ  against  those  who  scandalize 
his  little  ones. 

Lastly,  it  is  a  most  important  obligation  of  parents, 
to  pray  for  their  children.  That  faithful  servant  of 
God,  holy  Job,  rising  early,  offered  up  sacrifices  and 
burnt-oiferings  for  every  one  of  his  children,  lest  they 
should  have  sinned  and  offended  God.  The  example 
of  this  holy  man  is  recorded  as  a  model  of  imitation 
for  all  parents,  who  should  never  fail  to  offer  up  their 
children  daily  to  Almighty  God,  and  make  it  a  part  of 
their  morning  and  evening  devotions  to  implore  his 
blessing  upon  them.  What  abundant  sources  of  grace 
will  those  parents  who  are  faithful  in  this  duty,  open 
to  their  children,  for  their  preservation  from  the  dan- 
gers of  sin,  and  their  confirmation  in  the  way  of 
virtue ! 

Such,  my  beloved  brethren,  is  a  short  view  of  the 
important  duties  and  obligations  of  Christian  parents. 
To  sum  up  these  duties  in  a  few  words :  the  Almighty, 
who  has  blessed  you  with  children  for  no  other  end 
than  that  you  may  train  them  up  for  heaven,  requires 
of  you,  that  you  make  the  eternal  salvation  of  your 
children  the  principle  object  of  your  concern  for  them ; 
secondly,  that  you  be  careful  to  preserve  the  authority 
wdiich  he  has  given  you,  by  exacting  from  them  the 
most  ready  obedience;  thirdly,  that  you  instruct  your 
children  in  the  principles  and  duties  of  religion,  and 


28 


SECOND  HOMILY  ON 


carefully  remove  from  them  every  thing  dangerous  to 
their  innocence ;  fourthly,  that  you  enforce  your  in- 
structions  by  the  powerful  influence  of  good  example 
and  a  virtuous  life ;  and  lastly,  that  not  confiding  on 
your  own  exeitions,  you  endeavour  by  daily  prayer  to 
draw  down  the  divine  blessing  upon  them. 

Great  and  tiuly  awful,  dear  Christians,  is  the 
charge  entrusted  to  parents,  and  severe  will  be  the  ac- 
count which  will  one  day  be  demanded  of  them. — 
Their  own  happiness,  as  well  as  that  of  their  children, 
depends  upon  their  faithful  performance  of  the  duties 
attached  to  their  charge.  What  may  be  said  of  the 
pastor  of  souls  is  equally  applicable  to  parents.  They 
can  neither  stand  nor  fall  alone.  If  they  neglect  the 
care  of  the  souls  of  their  children,  the  eternal  ruin  of 
both  will  be  the  dreadful  consequence.  If  they  are 
faithful  to  their  duty,  the  tender  souls  wdiich  have 
been  trained  by  them  in  the  path  of  virtue,  will  both 
secure  their  own  everlasting  bliss,  and  will  each  of 
them  be  a  jewel  of  inestimable  glory  in  the  unfading 
crowns  of  their  virtuous  parents.  Sensible  then  of 
the  great  and  truly  important  obligations  which  divine 
Providence  has  imposed  upon  you,  I  conjure  you, 
Christian  parents,  who  now  hear  me,  to  imitate  the 
holy  and  virtuous  Tobias  in  the  exact  discharge  of 
these  duties.  Like  him,  teach  your  children  from 
their  earliest  infancy  to  fear  God,  and  to  abstain  from 
all  sin.  Implant  in  their  tender  minds  feelings  of 
charity  and  compassion  for  their  distressed  fellow- 
creatures;  and  give  them  fi'equent  opportunities  of 
exercising  those  feelings,  by  making  them  occasionally 
the  distributors  of  your  alms.  By  fervent  prayer, 
and  the  devout  frequenting  of  the  sacraments,  seek 
the  blessing  of  heaven  upon  your  good  endeavours, 
to  train  them  up  in  piety  and  virtue.  Oh !  what  con- 
solation will  the  thought  of  your  having  faithfully  dis- 
charged these  duties  diffuse  over  the  bed   of  death ! 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  29 

With  what  confidence  will  you  be  enabled  to  stand  at 
the  last  day  before  the  Sovereign  Judge  !  With  what 
joy  will  you  receive  back  from  his  hand  the  dear 
pledges  of  your  mutual  affection,  ascend  with  them 
to  the  realms  of  bliss,  and  enter  into  the  possession 
of  that  transcendant  glory  which  is  promised  as  the 
portion  of  those  who  instruct  others  into  justice ! — 
Dan.  xiii.  3. 


30  THIRD  HOMILY   ON 


THIRD  HOIKIZLT. 

Chap.  I.  ver.  11.     And  when  by  the  captivity,  he   with  his  wife 
and  his  son,  and  all  his  tribe,  was  come  to   the  city  of  Ninive 

12.  (when  all  ate  of  the   meats   of  the  Gentiles)   he 

kept  his  soul,  and  never  was  defiied  with  their  meats 13. 

And  because   he    was    mindful  of  the  Lord  with  all  his  heart, 

God  gave  him  favour  in  the  sight  of  Almanasar  the  king 

14.  And  he  gave  him  leave  to  go  withersoever  he  would,  with 

liberty  to  do  whatever  he   had  a   mind 15.  He  therefore 

went  to  all  that  were  in  captivity,  and  gave    them  wholesome 
admonitions. 

The  trials  and  persecutions  of  this  life,  which,  in 
the  order  of  God's  providence  serve  for  the  punish- 
ment of  sinners,  are  to  the  just  man  the  means  of  pu- 
rifying his  soul,  and  bringing  his  virtues  to  perfection. 
For,  my  beloved  brethren,  the  Apostle  St.  Paul 
assures  us,  that  "all  things  work  for  the  good  of  those 
who  love  God,  and  whom  he  calls  to  be  saints. " 
Rom.  viii.  28.  Thus  it  was  with  the  good  Tobias; 
and  the  portion  of  his  history  which  forms  the  ground- 
work of  my  present  instruction,  exhibits  to  your  view 
a  most  edifying  pattern  of  virtue,  under  some  of  the 
severest  trials  that  can  befal  human  nature.  Tobias 
with  his  wife  and  son,  and  several  of  his  countrymen, 
were,  in  consequence  of  their  captivity,  obliged  to 
take  up  their  residence  in  the  city  of  Ninive,  the  capi- 
tal of  the  Assyrian  empire.  The  vicious  example  of 
the  inhabitants  of  that  rich  and  populous  city,  added 
to  the  weight  of  the  temporal  calamities  with  which 
God  had  visited  the  sins  and  ingratitude  of  the  Israel- 
ites, was  too  strong  for  the  weak  virtue  of  the  greater 
part  of  the  captives  who  dwelt  there.  None  but  To- 
bias had  the  courage  to  withstand  the  torrent  of  cor- 
ruption, and  preserve  inviolate  his  fidelity  to  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  divine  law.  What  grief  must  have  op- 
pressed ll)e  heart  of  this  holy  man,  when  he  beheld 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  31 

his  fellow-countrymen,  instead  of  humbling  themselves 
under  the  divine  scourges,  and  appeasing  God's 
wrath  by  the  amendment  of  their  lives,  adding  to  their 
past  crimes  the  guilt  of  fresh  provocations,  by  trans- 
gressing some  of  the  essential  precepts  of  their  re- 
ligion. 

When  the  Almighty  was  pleased  to  call  the  descen- 
dants of  Abraham  to  be  his  chosen  people,  the  other 
nations  of  the  earth  were  buried  in  the  grosest  idola- 
tries and  superstitions.  To  prevent  his  people,  there- 
fore, from  being  infected  by  the  contagion  of  the  evil 
example  universally  spread  around  them,  God  ordain- 
ed for  the  Jews  a  great  number  of  rites,  ceremonies,  and 
legal  observances,  some  of  which  were  constantly  re- 
curring to  call  off  there  attention  from  too  free  an  in- 
tercourse with  the  rest  of  the  world.  Among  these 
legal  observances  was  the  distinction  of  clean  and  un- 
clean meats,  by  which  the  Almighty  would  at  the  same 
time  teach  his  chosen  people  the  necessity  of  self-de- 
nial, and  of  restraining  their  natural  appetites;  and 
moreover  remove  them  further  from  the  danger  of 
being  infected  with  idolatry,  by  preventing  their  eat- 
ing with  the  heathens,  among  whom  they  lived.  To- 
bias in  his  captivity,  though  placed  in  a  situation  most 
dangerous  to  his  virtue,  rigidly  observed  all  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  law  relative  to  the  distinction  of  meats. 
He  yielded  neither  to  the  cravings  of  self-love,  nor 
the  solicitations  of  pretended  friends,  nor  the  ridicule 
of  unbelievers.  With  a  steady  step  he  continued  to 
walk  in  the  path  of  obedience,  faithfully  fulfilling 
whatever  was  enjoined  by  the  law,  from  a  pure  mo- 
tive of  the  love  of  God,  and  an  earnest  desire  of  eter- 
nal life. 

The  Old  Testament  furnishes  several  noble  exam^ 
pies,  besides  that  of  holy  Tobias,  of  the  fidelity  with 
which  the  servants  of  God  observed  the  rites  of  the 
Jewish  law  respecting  meats.  One  of  the  most  illus- 
trious of  these  examples  is  the  truly  heroic  Eleazar,  a 


32  THIRD  HOMILV  ON 

venerable  old  man,  ninety  years  of  age,  who,  in  the 
persecution  under  the  impious  king  Antiochus,  cheer- 
fully resigned  his  life  rather  than  transgress  the  law  by 
eating  forbidden  meats.  No  doubt  some  of  his  world- 
ly friends,  who  thought  only  of  his  temporal  life, 
would  repeatedly  suggest  to  him  tiiat  there  could  be 
no  harm  in  tasting  a  bit  of  the  flesh  of  swine  any  more 
than  of  any  other  animal,  and  that  what  goeth  into 
the  mouth  is  not  that  which  delileth  a  man,  and  conse- 
quently advise  him  to  comply  with  what  was  demand- 
ed of  him,  and  save  his  life.  But,  with  what  indigna- 
tion did  the  holy  man  reject  their  crafty  solicitations 
to  sin !  How  did  he  reproach  them  for  their  cruelty, 
which,  under  the  mask  of  friendship,  advised  him  to 
purchase  a  few  moments  of  a  wretched  existence  that 
death  must  shortly  terminate,  at  tlie  expense  of  losing 
the  favour  of  the  Diety  here,  and  the  eternal  enjoy- 
ment of  his  glorious  presence  hereafter  !  The  vene- 
rable Eleazar  had  formed  his  notions  of  duty,  not 
upon  the  false  principles  of  the  children  of  the  world, 
who  study  only  present  ease,  and  seek  for  happiness 
in  the  gratification  of  their  passions,  but  upon  the 
solid  maxims  of  true  piety,  which  teaches  us  to 
make  the  will  of  God  the  sole  rule  of  our  actions 
He  was  sensible  that  in  whatever  the  Creator  com- 
mands, the  duty  of  the  creature  is  to  obey,  and  that 
to  refuse  obedience  to  the  sovereign  authority  of  our 
Maker  is  always  sinful.  AVhether,  therefoi'e,  the 
Almighty  by  his  own  word  commands  us  to  abstain 
from  fornication,  or  to  refrain  from  touching  the 
fruit  of  some  particular  tree,  or  by  his  Church  en- 
joins at  certain  times  an  abstinence  from  flesh-meat, 
the  transgression  of  any  one  of  these  commands  is 
an  act  of  disobedience,  and  as  such  defiles  the  soul, 
robs  it  of  the  title  of  a  child  of  God,  and  deprives 
it  of  all  claim  to  an  inheritance  in  his  kingdom.  Con- 
vinced of  these  truths,  the  holy  Eleazar  stood  firm 
in  the  path  of  obedience.  His  pretended  friends,  seeing 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  SS 

his  undaunted  constancy,  attacked  his  virtue  in  a  more 
insidious  way.  They  advised  him  to  make  an  appear- 
ance of  complying  with  the  orders  of  his  persecutor, 
oftering-  to  substitute  meat  which  it  was  lawful  for  him 
to  eat,  that  by  thus  seeming  to  comply,  he  might 
satisfy  his  enemies,  and  save  his  life.  But  "  he,"  says 
the  sacred  text,  "  began  to  consider  the  dignity  of  his 
age,  and  the  inbred  honour  of  his  grey  hairs,  and  his 
good  life  and  conversation  from  a  child,  and  he  an- 
swered without  delay,  that  he  would  rather  be  sent 
into  another  world  For  it  doth  not  become  our  age, 
said  he,  to  dissemble :  whereby  many  young  persons 
might  think  that  h.leazar  at  the  age  of  fourscoie  and 
ten  years,  were  gone  over  to  the  life  of  heathens: 
and  so  they,  through  my  dissimulation,  and  for  a  little 
time  of  a  corruptiblft  life,  should  be  deceived,  and 
hereby  I  should  bring  a  stain  and  a  curse  upon  my  old 
age.  For  though,  for  the  present  time,  1  should  be 
delivered  from  the  punishments  of  men,  yet  should  I 
not  escape  the  hand  of  the  Ahnighty  alive  nor  dead. 
Wherefore,  by  departing  manfully  out  of  this  life,  I 
shall  shew  myself  worthy  of  my  old  age ;  and  I  shall 
leave  an  example  of  fortitude  to  young  men,  if  with 
a  ready  mind  and  constancy  I  sutfer  an  honourable 
death  for  the  most  venerable  and  most  holy  laws.  And 
having  spoken  thus,  he  was  forthwith  carried  to  exe- 
cution. And,  when  he  was  now  ready  to  die  with  the 
stripes,  he  groaned  and  said :  U  Lord,  who  hast  the 
holy  knowledge,  thou  knowest  manifestly,  that  whereas 
I  might  be  delivered  from  death,  I  suffer  grievous 
pains  in  my  body ;  but  in  soul  am  well  content  to  suf- 
fer these  tbings,  because  I  fear  thee.  Thus  did  this 
man  die,  leaving,  not  only  to  young  men,  but  also  to 
the  whole  nation,  the  memory  of  his  death  for  an  ex- 
ample of  virtue  and  fortitude  "  2  Machabees  vi. — 
Yes,  Christians,  thus  did  this  venerable  servant  of  God 
die ;  thus  did  he  exchange  this  short  and  transitory  life 
for  immortal  glory ;  thus  did  he  crown,  by  a  glorious 


34  THIRD  HOMILY  Oi^ 

death,  a  life  spent  in  the  faithful  service  of  his  Creator, 
yielding  himself  a  sacritice  of  obedience  to  the  com- 
mands of  his  God.  Thus  did  he  leave,  not  only  to  his 
own  nation,  but  to  you  and  to  all  Christians,  a  noble 
example  of  the  fidelity  which  you  owe  to  the  sacred 
injunctions  of  God  and  his  Church. 

For,  my  beloved  brethren,  the  precepts  of  the 
Church  are,  in  fact,  precepts  of  Almighty  God,  since 
it  is  God  who  speaks  to  us  by  his  Church.  Our  divine 
Redeemer,  before  his  ascension  into  heaven,  gave  to 
the  Pastors  of  his  Church,  in  the  persons  of  his  A])OS- 
tles,  a  commission  to  establish  his  kin<i:doni  upon  earth, 
a  power  to  rule  and  govern  those  who  should  become 
subject  to  his  kingdom,  and  consequently  an  authority 
to  appoint  and  ordain  such  regulations  as  should  seem 
necessary  for  the  welfare  of  souls  entrusted  to  tlieir 
care.  He  had  long  before  pointed  out  the  duty  of 
obedience  to  their  orders,  in  those  words  which  he  ad- 
dressed to  them,  " he  that  heareth  you,  heareth  me; 
he  that  despiseth  you,  despiseth  me:"  declaring  also, 
that  whoever  will  not  hear,  that  is,  obey,  the  Church, 
shall  have  no  more  claim  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
than  the  heathen  who  adores  false  gods,  or  the  publi- 
can, that  is,  the  notorious  sinner,  whose  crimes  render 
him  deserving  of  eternal  damnation,  v'  hether,  then, 
the  Almiglity  condescends  to  speak  to  us  by  his  own 
mouth,  and  to  write  with  his  own  finger  the  command- 
ments which  we  are  to  fulfil,  or  whether  he  delivers 
his  precepts  to  us  through  the  voice  of  the  pastors  of 
his  Church,  these  injunctions  are  all  founded  upon  the 
same  divine  authority,  and  the  same  is  the  obligation 
on  our  part  of  faithfully  complying  with  them.  "W'ho- 
ever,  therefore,  lives  in  the  wilful  violation  of  any  one 
of  the  precepts  of  the  Church,  whether  as  to  the  neg- 
lect of  hearing  mass  on  Sundays  and  holydays,  or  of 
abstaining  from  flesh-meat  on  certain  days,  lives  in  dis- 
obedience to  the  spiritual  authority  which  God  has 
appointed  to  guide  him  ;  and  unless  he  renounces  that 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  35 

disobedience,  whatever  his  life  may  be  in  other  re- 
spects, will  not  be  admitted  to  a  participation  of  the 
reward  promised  only  to  the  humble  and  obedient. 

But,  it  may  be  asked,  why  has  the  Church  given 
any  commandments  at  all  in  addition  to  those  expressly 
delivered  by  God  himself?  The  answer  to  this  ques- 
tion, my  beloved  brethren,  will  establish  clearly  both 
the  end  and  the  utility  of  the  precepts  which  the 
Catholic  Church  enjoins  to  her  childrei-i.  I  answer 
then,  that  the  design  of  these  precepts  is,  to  enable  us 
to  fulfil  more  easily  the  ordinances  of  the  law  of  God, 
first,  by  appointing  certain  exterior  acts  of  piety  best 
adapted  to  conduct  us  to  that  end;  and,  secondly,  by 
determining  the  best  time  and  manner  of  observing  the 
divine  commandments. 

To  prove  the  truth  of  this  answer,  I  shall  instance 
only  the  precept  of  fasting  and  abstinence,  as  being 
naturally  connected  with  the  subject  of  this  day's  in- 
struction. We  are  all  sinners,  and  in  this  character 
owe  to  the  divine  justice  a  satisfaction  for  the  sins  by 
which  we  have  transgressed  the  law  of  God.  For, 
by  a  fixed  rule  of  God's  justice,  Avhatever  has  been 
defiled  by  sin,  must  be  purified  by  the  virtue  of 
penance  here,  or  feel  hereafter  the  rigours  of  an 
avenging  justice  no  longer  tempered  with  mercy. — 
Hence  those  frequent  invitations  to  the  practice  of 
penance,  which  tiie  inspired  writings  both  in  the  Old 
and  New  Testament  continually  hold  out  to  sinners, 
calling  upon  them  to  take  the  scourge  into  their  own 
hands,  and,  by  the  voluntary  chastisement  of  their  own 
rebellious  flesh,  to  avert  the  more  dreadful  scourges  of 
the  divine  anger  provoked  by  their  crimes.  Jesus 
Christ  positively  declares  to  all  his  followers,  "  unless 
ye  do  penance  ye  shall  all  perish ; "  and  proclaims,  that 
"  whoever  would  be  his  disciple  must  deny  himself, 
and  take  up  his  cross,  and  then  follow  him."  His 
whole  life,  which  is  to  be  the  model  of  ours,  was  a 
life  of  penance :  and  in  this  he  has  been  imitated  by 


S6  THIRD  HOMILY  ON 

all  his  Saints,  who,  whatever  may  have  been  the  pe- 
culiar virtues  that  adorn  their  character,  were  all  re- 
markable for  the  exercise  of  hoh^  penance.  The  great 
Apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  ^t.  Paul,. though  chosen  by 
God  himself  to  be  a  vessel  of  election,  though  uncon- 
scious to  himself  of  any  wilful  transgression  of  the 
divine  law,  though  gifted  with  the  power  of  working 
miracles,  and  for  the  encouragement  of  his  virtue 
wrapt  up  to  the  third  heaven,  yet  did  not  think  himself 
exempt  from  the  general  law  of  penance,  but  practis- 
ed himself  the  obligation  which  he  inculcated  to  others. 
"  I  chastise  my  body  and  bring  it  into  subjection,  lest, 
when  I  have  preached  to  others,  I  myself  should  be- 
come a  reprobate. "  I  Cor.  ix. — Shall  we,  then,  who 
are  sinners,  look  upon  penance  and  self-denial  as  unne- 
cessary .''  No,  my  beloved  breliiren,  deceive  not  your- 
selves ;  penance  and  the  mortification  both  of  tlie  in- 
ward and  outward  man,  ever  were,  and  ever  will  be 
essential  duties  of  a  Christian  life.  '1  he  holy  Council 
of  Trent  fears  not  to  assert,  that  the  whole  life  of  a 
Christian  ought  to  be  a  life  of  penance.  \^  e  are  under 
a  strict  obligation  of  labouring  to  appease  the  wrath 
of  God,  to  draw  down  his  mercy  by  works  of  penance, 
and  by  voluntarily  abstaining  Jrom  the  use  of  things 
which  are  at  other  times  lawful,  to  make  atonement 
for  our  past  criminal  excesses,  and  for  the  unlawful 
use  which  we  too  often  have  made  of  what  the  bounty 
of  God  has  provided  for  our  support.  It  is  then  to 
teach  you  these  important  lessons,  and  to  aid  you  in 
the  practice  of  them,  that  the  Church,  by  the  authori- 
ty with  which  Christ  invested  her,  enjoins  certain  times 
for  the  exercise  of  those  works  of  penance  that  God 
has  declared  most  available  in  his  sight — fasting  and 
abstinence.  Great  indeed  will  be  your  consolation  at 
the  hour  of  death,  if,  like  the  holy  Tobias  or  the  vene- 
rable Eleazar,  you  can  then  look  back  upon  a  life 
faithful  in  the  observance  of  these  holy  duties.  But 
miserable  will  be  your  condition,  and   dreadful    will 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  37 

then  be  your  anguish  of  soul,  if  when  you  stand  be- 
fore the  tribunal  of  an  all  seeing  Judge,  you  shall  be 
charged  with  having  added  to  your  other  crimes,  a 
wilful  disobedience  to  the  Church  of  God,  with  having 
neglected  to  use  the  salutary  means  of  atoning  for  the 
heavy  debt  due  to  the  justice  of  God,  and  with  having 
brought  a  scandal  upon  your  religion,  and  caused  the 
enemies  of  your  faith  to  blaspheme,  by  your  irreli- 
gious lives.  Living,  as  the  first  Christians  did,  in  the 
midst  of  those  who,  through  ignorance  or  prejudice, 
look  upon  your  religion  with  an  eye  of  ridicule  and 
contempt,  let  your  conversation  be  good  among  them, 
by  the  faithful  observance  of  the  laws  of  God  and  his 
Church ;  that,  whereas  they  speak  of  you  as  evil  doers, 
considering  your  good  works  and  holiness  of  life,  they 
may  be  most  powerfully  convinced  of  the  purity  of 
your  faith,  and  uniting  themselves  to  the  one  fold  of 
the  one  Shepherd,  may  be  brought  to  glorify  God  in 
the  day  of  his  visitation  The  world,  though  it  affects 
to  treat  the  virtues  of  the  servants  of  God  as  folly, 
yet  cannot  refuse  them  the  tribute  of  admiration  and 
respect.  It  dreads  them,  because  it  well  knows  that 
nothing  so  strongly  tends  to  lessen  the  numbers  of  its 
own  deluded  followers,  as  the  good  example  of  the 
virtuous;  yet  it  cannot  withhold  from  the  latter  its 
sincere  esteem  of  their  heroic  conduct.  Tobias,  though 
alone  in  the  path  of  virtue,  drew  upon  himself  the  love 
and  veneration  of  the  wicked  King  Salmanasar  himself 
admired  his  virtue,  shewed  him  marks  of  his  favour, 
and  gave  him  leave  to  go  whithersoever  he  would. 

In  the  cup  of  atflictions,  which  his  providence  pre- 
sents to  his  chosen  servants  for  their  trial,  the  Al- 
mighty usually  mingles  some  drops,  at  least,  of  his 
heavenly  consolations,  both  to  reward  their  fidelity 
and  to  encourage  them  to  perseverence.  Having 
humbled  Tobias,  by  making  him  a  partaker  of  the 
captivity  and  afllictions  which  had  befallen  his  breth- 
4 


38  THIRD  HOMILY  ON 

ren,  God  now  permits  him  to  enjoy  a  little  sunshine  of 
prosperity  in  the  favour  of  his  prince.  Tobias,  ever 
steady  to  his  principles  of  virtue,  acknowledges  the 
finger  of  Providence  in  his  prosperity,  no  less  than  in 
his  adversities.  He  employs  this  short  season  of  peace 
and  tranquillity  in  acts  of  benevolence  and  mercy  to- 
wards his  persecuted  and  distressed  brethren.  He 
shares  with  them  the  bounties  of  his  prince,  distribut- 
ing freely  among  them  what  he  himself  had  freely  re- 
ceived. He  accompanies  his  acts  of  charity  with  the 
more  holy  and  more  efficacious  exercises  of  spiritual 
alms  deeds ;  admonishing  his  sinful  countrymen  of  their 
ingratitude  to  God,  the  source  of  all  their  misfortunes ; 
exhorting  them  to  receive  their  afflictions  in  the  spirit 
of  sincere  repentance,  by  humbling  themselves  under 
the  miglity  hand  of  God ;  to  acknov.iedge  the  visita- 
tion of  his  mercy,  and  by  renouncing  tjjeir  evil  ways, 
to  turn  their  captivity  into  a  powerful  means  of  atoning 
for  past  crimes,  and  securing  to  themselves  for  tlie 
future  the  mercy  of  their  offended  God. 

Whatever  be  your  station  in  life,  my  beloved  breth- 
ren, let  this  example  of  the  good  Tobias  be  the  model 
of  your  conduct.  If  God  has  been  liberal  in  bestow- 
ing upon  you  temporal  blessings,  be  you  liberal  in  dis- 
pensing a  share  of  them  to  your  distressed  fellow- 
creatures.  If  he  has  given  you  little,  of  that  little  give 
cheerfully,  according  to  your  abilities.  Be  each  of 
you  faithful,  like  this  holy  servant  of  God.  in  exercis- 
ing the  spiritual  works  ol  mercy  to  your  fellow -crea- 
tures, by  contributing,  as  far  as  lies  in  your  powe)-,  to 
the  salvation  of  the  souls  of  your  neighbours.  This 
is  done,  first  by  procuring  instruction  for  such  as  are 
ignorant  of  the  principles  of  religion,  especially  your 
children  and  others  entrusted  to  your  care ;  secondly, 
by  endeavouring  to  promote  the  conversion  of  sinners, 
to  withdraw  them  from  the  path  of  vice,  and  by 
wholesome  admonitions  reclaim  them  from  their  evil 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIaS.  39 

ways  ;  lastly,  by  good  example,  and  an  edifying  life, 
opening  the  eyes  of  others  to  see  the  way  of  truth, 
and  powerfully  inclining  their  hearts  to  embrace  it. 
Your  tidelity  in  these  holy  duties  will  prove  to  your 
souls  an  abundant  source  of  grace  during  life,  of  joy 
and  consolation  in  death,  and  entitle  you  to  an  everlast- 
ins:  reward  in  heaven. 


40  FOURTH  HOMILY  ON 


FOURTH  HOMILY. 

Ckap.  I  ver.  16.     And  when  Tobias    was  come  to  Rages,  a  city 
of  the  Medes,  and  had  ten  talents  of  silver  of  that  with  which 

he   had   been  honoured  by  the  king : 17.    And  when 

amongst  a  great  multitude  of  his  kindred,  he  saw  Gabelus  in 
want,  who  was  one  of  his  own  tribe,  taking  a  note  of  his  hand, 
he  gave  him  the  aforesaid  sum  of  money. 

The  holy  Tobias,  as  my  last  instruction  informed 
you,  by  his  edifying  life  and  virtuous  conversation,  by 
his  undaunted  constancy  in  the  path  of  virtue,  and  his 
steady  adherence  to  the  divine  law,  gained  the  esteem 
and  veneration  not  only  of  his  own  countrymen,  but 
of  the  heathens  among  whom  he  lived.  The  king 
himself  honoured  Tobias  with  his  friendship;  and, 
knowing  his  charitable  disposition,  furnished  him  with 
considerable  sums  of  money  for  the  exercise  of  his 
benevolence.  The  holy  servant  of  God,  who  set  no 
other  value  upon  riches  than  as  they  enabled  him  to 
imitate  the  bounteous  Giver  of  all  good  gifts,  by  dis- 
pensing blessings  to  his  fellow-creatures,  faithfully  em- 
ployed the  presents  of  his  prince  in  acts  of  mercy  and 
charity  to  his  distressed  brethren.  During  the  latter 
part  of  the  reign  of  Salmanasar,  the  rigours  of  the 
captivity  of  the  Jewish  people  seem  to  have  been 
softened.  The  tribe  of  Is'ephihali,  to  which  Tobias 
belonged,  was  no  longer  confined  to  the  walls  of 
Ninive.  Gabelus,  who  was  of  the  same  tribe,  had 
fixed  his  residence  at  Rages,  a  city  of  the  .Medes. — 
Tobias  finding  himself,  in  consequence  of  the  king's 
generosity,  blessed  with  the  means  of  alleviating  the 
distresses  of  his  countrymen,  travelled  over  tlie  whole 
country  in  search  of  those  who  were  in  want.  ^Vhile 
he  excluded  none  of  his  fellow-creatures  from  partak- 
ing of  his  charity,  he  was  careful  to  exercise  this 
virtue  with  prudence,  and  according  to  the  order  pre- 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  41 

scribed  by  the  law  of  nature  and  religion.     Those  who 
are  connected  with  us  by  the  ties  of  kindred  and  the 
bond  of  faith,  have  the  first  claim  upon  our  benevo- 
lence.    I ;  ence  the  severe  reproaches  which  our  divine 
Redeemer  made  to  the  Pharisees,  because  they  taught 
the  people  to  transfer  to  other  purposes  of  charity,  the 
relief  which  by  the  strictest  of  obligations  they  owed 
to  their  nearest  kindred,  their  parents.     Hence  also 
the  advice  of  the  Apostle  St.  Paul,  "  whilst  ye  have 
time,  do  good  to  all  men,  but  especially  to  those  who 
are  of  the  household  of  the  faith."  Gal.  vi.  10.  Acting 
up  to  these  principles  of  duty,  Tobias  sought  for  the 
first  objects  of  his  charity  among  his  own  kindred. 
At  Rages,  he  found  Gabelus,  his  relation,  in  want,  and 
he  assisted  him  in  a  manner,  which  at  the  same   time 
that  it  proved  of  the  greatest  service  to  his  kinsman, 
would  not  be  injurious  to  himself.     To  enable  Gabelus 
to  rise  from  the  unfortunate  situation  to  which  he  had 
been  reduced,  and  to  aid  him  in  making  a  provision 
for  himself  and  his  family,  Tobias  kindly  lent  him  ten 
talents,  requiring  for  his  security  a  note  of  hand.    Ten 
talents  amounted   at  the  lowest  calculation  to  nearly 
two  thousand  pounds  of  our  money:  with  this  sum 
Gabelus  was  raised  from  the  brink  of  destruction,  and 
found  himself  in  a  condition  to  acquire  a  decent  main- 
tenance for  himself  and  family.     As  the  relief  which 
Tobias  afforded  his  kinsman,  \vas  a  charity  undertaken 
from  the  purest  of  motives,  and  guided  by  prudence 
and  discretion,  heaven  gave  a  blessing  to  this  exercise 
of  mercy,  both  with  regard  to  the  giver  and  the  re- 
ceiver, as  the  sequel  of  this  history  informs  us.  During 
the  short  sunshine  of  prosperity  which  Tobias  enjoyed, 
his   whole  time  was  employed  in  acts  of  charity  and 
benevolence,  though  the  holy  scripture  selects  merely 
the  example  just  given  to  you,  because  it  points  out 
a  species  of  brotherly  love  but  seldom  practised  by 
mankind,  though  of  all  others  the  most  easy ;  and  fre- 
quently, as  in  the  case  of  Gabelus,  attended  with  the 
4* 


42  FOURTH  HOMILY  ON 

most  beneficial  effects.  Those  to  whom  God  has  given 
far  more  than  is  necessary  for  their  own  wants,  forget 
that  they  are  only  stewards  of  the  sovereign  Lord  and 
Master  of  all,  with  Avhom  there  is  no  distinction  of 
persons,  and  who  will  one  day  demand  a  severe  ac- 
count of  the  talents  entrusted  to  them.  Instead  of 
searching,  like  the  good  Tobias,  for  deserving  objects 
of  charity,  and  tasting  the  real  happiness  to  be  found 
in  doing  good  to  others,  in  enabling  the  reduced  trades- 
man to  rise  superior  to  the  hardsliips  that  oppress  him, 
or  aiding  the  industrious  peasant  to  provide  more  decent 
covering,  and  a  better  meal  for  his  half-starved  and 
almost  naked  family,  the  rich  ones  of  the  world  too 
often  close  their  eyes  to  the  scenes  of  woe  that  throw 
a  gloom  round  their  splendid  habitations,  and  shut  their 
ears  to  the  cry  of  misery.  Strangers  to  the  truly  en- 
viable happiness  of  resembling  the  God  of  mercy,  by 
diffusing  blessings  to  their  fellow-creatures,  they  know 
no  other  value  of  riches  than  that  they  enable  them  to 
purchase  the  gratification  of  their  passions,  and  to  riot 
in  voluptuousness  and  sin.  Thus,  their  riches,  which, 
if  faithfully  employed,  would  have  rendered  them  be- 
loved of  God  in  this  life,and  powerful!  v  advance  them 
to  their  crown  of  immortal  glory  in  the  next,  become 
the  instruments  of  destruction  to  their  immortal  souls, 
shut  out  the  grace  of  God  during  life,  and  close  against 
them,  in  the  hour  of  death,  the  gate  that  leads  to  ever- 
lasting bliss.  '•  Go  to  now,  ye  rich  men,  weep  and 
howl  for  your  miseries  that  shall  come  upon  you. — 
Your  riches  are  corrupted,  and  your  garments  are 
moth  eaten.  Your  gold  and  silver  are  rusted  :  and 
the  rust  of  them  shall  be  for  a  testimony  against  you, 
and  shall  eat  your  flesh  like  fire.  You  have  stored 
up  to  yourselves  wrath  against  the  last  day."  St, 
James,  v.  1. 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS. 


43 


Ver   18.     But  after  a  long  time,  Salmanasar,  the  king,  being  dead, 
when   Sennacherib  his   son,  who  reigned  in   his  place,  had  a 

hatred  for  the  children  of  Israel : 19.    Tobias  daily  went 

among  all  his  kindred,  and  comforted  them,  and  distributed  to 

every  one  as  he  was  able,  out  of  his  goods 20.     He  fed 

the  hungry,  and  gave  clothes  to  the  naked,  and  was  careful  to 
bury  tlie  dead,  arid  them  that  were  slain. 

While  the  virtuous  Tobias  enjoyed  the  favour  of 
his  prince,  his  charity  had  free  scope  to  exercise  itself 
in  whatever  place,  and  in  whatever  manner  he  thought 
proper.  But  this  liberty  lasted  not  long;.  King  Sal- 
manasar, who  had  so  much  befriended  Tobias,  died, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Sennacherib,  a  mortal 
enemy  of  the  Jewish  peo))le.  Tobias,  by  his  fidelity 
in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  piety  and  charity 
during  his  friendship  with  the  late  king,  had  prepared 
himself  to  meet  with  fortitude  the  change  occasioned 
by  the  death  of  his  benefactor,  and  secured  the  graces 
necessary  for  the  hour  of  trial.  Moreover,  by  his 
prudent  managetiient  of  his  temporal  concerns,  he  had, 
notwithstanding  his  great  charities,  laid  up  sutHcient 
for  the  wants  of  his  family,  and  found  himself,  though 
deprived  of  the  king's  bounty,  still  enabled  to  admin- 
ister relief  to  his  atilicted  countrymen.  His  purse  was 
ever  open  to  the  call  of  distress;  and  when  money 
failed,  he  distributed  to  every  one  as  he  was  able,  out 
of  the  goods  that  were  in  his  possession.  Admirable 
as  the  charity  of  Tobias  appeared  in  the  season  of 
prosperity,  it  shone  with  much  greater  lustre  in  ad- 
versity. Like  a  cloud,  which  for  a  time  obscures  the 
brightness  of  the  sun  only  to  render  its  light  more  re- 
fulgent and  more  welcome,  affliction  puts  the  virtues  of 
the  servants  of  God  to  the  test,  proves  them  to  be  real, 
and  manifests  them  to  the  world  in  their  full  splendour. 
The  difficulties  also,  to  which  the  practice  of  virtue 
in  time  of  persecution  exposes  the  saints,  considerably 
enhance  the  merit  of  their  edifying  conduct,  and  add 
to  their  crowns.  Convinced  of  this  truth,  the  holy 
Tobias,  bereft  of  all  earthly  protection,   continued 


44  FOURTH  HOMILY  ON 

witli  assiduity  his  usual  acts  of  mercy,  confinding  in 
the  care  of  that  all-wise  and  just  Providence,  which 
ill  the  day  of  the  final  distribution  of  its  justice  will 
proportion  its  rewards  to  the  charities  that  have  been 
exercised  in  its  name.  If,  as  our  divine  Redeemer 
assures  us,  not  a  cup  of  cold  water,  given  from  a 
motive  of  charity,  shall  pass  unrewarded,  what  an  im- 
mense weight  of  glory  shall  grace  the  crowns  of  those 
faithful  stewards  of  the  God  of  mercy,  who  shall  be 
found,  like  the  good  Tobias,  to  have  consoled  the  af- 
flicted, reclaimed  ihe  sinner,  fed  the  hungry,  clothed  the 
naked,  and  cheerfully  relieved  their  distressed  fellow- 
creatures!  To  such  will  the  sovereign  Judge  declare, 
"  Amen,  I  say  to  you,  what  ye  have  thus  done  to  one 
of  these,  ye  have  done  unto  me,  enter  ye  into  the  joy 
of  your  Lord.  "  Is  there  one  among  you,  my  beloved 
brethren,  who,  if  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  who 
poured  out  the  last  drop  of  his  blood  for  our  salva- 
tion, were  in  person  to  solicit  a  favour  from  you, 
would  ungratefully  refuse  to  grant  it  ?  Behold  him 
then  in  the  person  of  those  distressed  objects  who 
daily  crave  your  charity.  Give  relief  according  to 
the  ability  with  which  God  has  blessed  you,  but  give 
from  a  sincere  motive  of  pleasing  God,  and  of  gaining 
a  reward  in  heaven.  Thus  will  you  lay  up  to  your- 
selves treasures  in  that  kingdom  where  neither  rust 
nor  moth  consumeth,  nor  thieves  break  in  and  steal; 
but  the  glorious  presence  of  that  God,  who  is  himself 
the  exceedingly  great  and  secure  reward  of  his  ser- 
vants, shall  fill  your  happy  souls  with  everlasting  joy 
and  delight. 


THE   BOOK   OF   TOBIAS.  45 

Ver.  21.  And  when  king  Sennacherib  was  come  back,  fleeing 
from  Judoea  by  reason  of  the  slaughter  that  God  had  made 
about  him  for  his  blaspiiemy  ;  and  being  angry,  slew  many  of 

the  children  of  Israel,  Tobias  buried  their  bodies 22.  But 

when  it  was  told  the  king,  he  commanded  him  to  be  slain,  and 

took  away  all  his  substance  23.  But  Tobias  fleeing  naked 

away  with  his  son  and  with  his  wife,  lay  concealed,  for  many 
loved  him. 

I  have  already  informed  you,  my  beloved  brethren, 
that  out  of  the  twelve  tribes  into  which  the  children 
of  Israel  were  divided,  ten  had  renounced  the  wor- 
ship of  the  true  God,  and,  in  punishment  of  their 
idolatry,  had  been  delivered  into  the  hands  of  Salma- 
nasar,  and  had  been  led  away  prisoners  by  him  to  his 
own  dominions.  The  two  tribes  which  remained  in 
their  native  country,  were  the  tribes  of  Judah  and 
Benjamin,  and  composed  what  was  called  the  kingdom 
of  Judah,  of  which  Jerusalem  was  the  capital  city. 
Sennacherib,  flushed  with  the  success  which  had  at- 
tended his  father's  invasion  of  the  kingdom  of  Israel, 
and  impelled  by  the  hatred  which  he  himself  enter- 
tained for  the  Jewish  race,  led  a  mighty  army  into 
Judaee.  Puffed  up  with  pride,  he  imagined  that  notli- 
ing  could  resist  his  power.  To  his  pride  and  self- 
conceit  he  added  the  most  impious  blasphemy  ;  a  crime 
of  all  others  the  most  insulting  to  the  Diety,  since  it 
attempts  to  pull  him  down  from  the  throne  of  his  ma- 
jesty, denies  his  attributes  and  perfections,  and  treats 
him  witli  open  contempt.  At  the  time  in  which  Sen- 
nacherib invaded  Judaee,  the  throne  of  Judah  was 
filled  by  Ezechias,  one  of  the  most  virtuous  monarchs 
that  ever  reigned.  To  him  the  haughty  Sennacherib 
sent  an  insulting  message,  imperiously  commanding 
him  to  deliver  up  himself  and  his  people,  telling  him 
that  it  was  in  vain  he  trusted  in  the  protection  of  God, 
for  that  God  would  not  be  able  to  prevent  their  falling 
into  his  hands.  Ezechias,  shocked  at  this  blasphe- 
mous denial  of  God's  omnipotence,  rent  his  garments 
with  grief,  put  on  the  garb  of  a  penitent,  covering 


46  FOURTH  HOMILY  ON 

himself  with  sackcloth ;  and,  as  his  only  consolation, 
repaired  to  the  house  of  the  Lord,  to  pour  forth  his 
soul  in  fervent  supplication  for  mercy.     At  the  same 
time,  he  sent  the  most  ancient  and  virtuous  of  his 
priests,   clothed   also  in  sackcloth,  to  the  venerable 
prophet  Isaiah,  his  counsellor  and  director,  to  beg  of 
the  man  of  God  to  put  up  his  prayers  also  for  the 
remnant  of  the  children  of  Israel.     Pleased  with  the 
humble  confidence  of  the  virtuous  king,  the  Almighty 
inspired  his  prophet  instantly  to  assure  Ezechias  that 
the  threats  of  his  enemy  vt^ere  vain,  and  that  his  blas- 
phemy should  meet  with  a  speedy  and  severe  punish- 
ment.    The  holy  king  was  comforted;  but,   having 
received  a  second  insulting  and  blasphemous  message 
from  the  general  of  the  Assyrians,  redoubled  his  pray- 
ers, expressing  his  firm  hope  and  confidence  that  the 
Almighty  would  shew  forth  his  power  for  the  protec- 
tion of  his  people.     God  heard  his  prayer,  and  bade 
his  prophet  declare  to  him,  that  the  king  of  the  Assy- 
rians should  not  come  into  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  nor 
shoot  an  arrow  into  it,  nor  even  cast  a  trench  about  it. 
"  By  the  way  that  he  came,  he  shall  return,  and  into 
this  city  he  shall  not  come,  saith  the  Lord.    And  I  will 
protect  this  city,  and  will  save  it  for  my  own  sake, 
and  for  David  my  servant's  sake.     And  it  came  to 
pass  that  night,  that  an  angel  of  the  Lord  came,  and 
slew  in  the  camp  of  the  Assyrians  a  hundred  and  eigh- 
ty-five thousand.     And  when  Sennacherib  arose  early 
in  the  morning,  he  saw  all  dead  bodies.     And  depart- 
ing  he   went  away,  and  he  returned    and  abode   in 
Ninive.  " — 4  Kings,  xviii.  xix.     Hither  tiie  vengeance 
of  that  God  whom  he  had  blaspliemed,  followed  him  ; 
here  it  overtook  and   cut  him  ofi"  in  the  midst  of  his 
impious  career;  but  not  until  he  had  added  to   the 
weight  of  his  past  crimes  the  guilt  of  many  fresh  acts 
of  cruelty,  injustice,  and  murder.     Stung  with   mad- 
ness at  the  thoughts  of  his  late  defeat,  but  not  at  all 
humbled   or  changed   by   the   scourge   that   he  had 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  47 

drawn  upon  himself  and  his  people,  he  returned  home, 
covered  with  shame,  but  full  of  pride,  malice,  and  re- 
venge. Though  he  had  so  lately  felt  the  severe  ven- 
geance of  that  God  whom  he  had  blasphemed,  he 
neither  thought  of  atoning  for  his  crimes,  nor  petition- 
ing for  pardon.  Still  bent  upon  the  gratification  of  his 
lawless  passions,  he  resolved  to  wreak  his  vengeance 
upon  the  unoffending  Israehtes  in  his  own  domhhons. 
He  commenced  a  cruel  persecution  against  them,  and 
put  several  of  them  to  death,  leaving  their  bodies  un- 
buried,  as  a  terror  and  affliction  to  their  surviving 
countrymen.  In  this  calamitous  situation,  Tobias, 
though  exposed  to  certain  danger  of  losing  his  pro- 
pei'ty,  if  not  his  life,  continued  with  undaunted  con- 
stancy his  usual  acts  of  mercy,  and  added  to  them  the 
burial  of  the  dead,  and  of  those  that  were  slain.  His 
charity  soon  reached  the  ears  of  the  wicked  king,  who 
commanded  him  to  be  slain,  and  took  away  all  his 
substance.  But  God,  in  whom  he  trusted,  watched 
over  the  life  of  his  servant;  and  while,  for  the  trial 
of  his  virtue,  he  permitted  him  to  be  deprived  of  his 
worldly  possessions,  suflered  not  a  hair  of  his  head  to 
be  hurt.  For  Tobias,  hearing  of  the  king's  order  for 
his  death,  fled  away  naked  with  his  wife  and  his  son, 
and  lay  concealed.  The  hand  of  Providence  guided 
him  to  a  place  of  refuge,  and  as  it  had  formerly  con- 
ducted Joseph  into  the  pit  and  the  dungeon,  for  the 
perfection  of  his  merit,  so  now  it  led  Tobias  into  his 
solitary  and  painful  retirement,  to  manifest  him  to 
after  ages  as  a  model  of  consummate  virtue,  and  as  a 
pledge  of  the  care  which  the  Almighty  takes  of  those 
who  faithfully  serve  him.  Tobias,  in  the  poverty  and 
distress  to  which  he  was  reduced,  reaped  the  fruits  of 
his  former  virtues.  The  consciousness  of  his  past 
fidelity  filled  his  soul  with  sweet  tranquillity,  a  certain 
foretaste  of  heaven;  and  many  who  had  witnessed 
and  felt  the  effects  of  his  charities,  now  shewed  their 
affectionate  esteem  for  him,  and  gladly  received  him 


48  FOURI  H  HOMILY  ON 

at  their  tables.  Tobias  in  his  affliction,  tnough  stript 
of  all  his  goods,  even  of  his  very  clothes,  and  depend- 
ing for  subsistence  upon  those  whom  he  had  formerly 
relieved  in  their  distress,  was  far  more  happy  than 
the  cruel  Sennacherib  on  his  throne,  racked  with  re- 
morse for  his  crimes,  with  disappointed  ambition,  and 
with  a  dread  of  death,  which  would  level  all  his  pride, 
deprive  him  of  all  that  had  engaged  his  affections,  and 
hurry  him  before  the  judgment-seat  of  a  God  whom 
he  had  blasphemed.  Short-lived  is  the  prosperity  of 
the  wicked.  In  tl>e  heiglit  of  their  pride,  they  may 
laugh  at  the  threats  of  divine  justice,  and  despise  the 
calls  of  God's  mercy ;  but  the  day  of  retribution  will 
most  assuredly  come,  and  manifest  them  to  the  world 
a  dreadful  example  of  the  folly  of  preferring  earth 
before  heaven,  and  of  expecting  to  find  any  real  hap- 
piness in  the  path  of  sin,  or  in  thegratificalion  of  their 
passions,  which  brings  along  with  it  nothing  but  re- 
morse of  conscience  here,  and  conducts  to  an  eternity 
of  misery  hereafter. 

Ver.  24.  After  forty-five  days,  Sennacherib  the  king:  was  killed  by 

his  own  sons 25.  And    Tobias  returned  to  his  own  house, 

and  all  his  substance  was  restored  to  him. 

Sennacherib,  having  filled  up  the  measure  of  his 
iniquities,  was  slain  by  his  own  sons,  while  he  was  in 
the  very  act  of  adoring  his  false  gods,  and  paying  to 
idols  the  homage  which  he  owed  to  the  true  God, 
whose  vengeance  he  had  already  felt,  but  whose  judg- 
ments he  had  despised.  Such  was  the  punishment 
which,  even  in  this  life,  overtook  one  of  the  most 
powerful  monarchs  that  ever  reigned  upon  the  earth. 
But  do  you,  my  beloved  brethren,  meditating  on  his 
example,  carry  your  thoughts  beyond  the  grave. — 
Contemplate  those  everlasting  fires  prepared  for  the 
unrepenting  sinner.  Tremble,  lest,  like  the  impious 
Sennacherib,  you  should  stand  accused  at  the  hour  of 
death  of  having  insulted  the  God  of  heaven  by  mur- 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  49 

muring  against  his  Providence,  by  profaning-  his  holy 
name,  and  by  calling  down  damnation  upon  yourselves 
or  your  fellow-creatures,  or  of  having  been  guilty  of 
a  murder  infinitely  worse  than  the  death  of  the  body, 
the  murder  of  the  souls  of  others  by  evil  conversa- 
tion, impure  discourse,  or  bad  example.  Repair  all 
past  scandals  by  an  edifying  life  for  the  time  to  come. 
Break  off  all  evil  habits,  more  especiallv  of  swearing 
or  lewd  conversation,  the  sources  of  ruin  to  so  many  ut;- 
happy  young  persons.  Consecrate  the  remainder  of  your 
lives  to  fidelity  in  the  divine  service,  teludy  the  ex- 
ample of  the  good  Tobias,  and  imitate  his  constancy 
in  the  path  of  virtue.  Thus  ivill  every  circumstance 
of  your  lives,  both  in  adversity  and  prosperity,  prove 
to  you,  as  it  did  to  him,  the  means  of  advancing  you 
in  the  way  that  leads  to  perfection  here,  and  to  the 
crown  of  glory  laid  up  for  you  in  heaven.     Amen, 


50  FIFTH  HOMILY  ON 


riPTH  HOMILY. 

Chap.  II.  ver.  1.     But  after  this,  when  there  was  a  festival  of  the 

Lord,  and  a  good  dinner  was  prepared  in  Tobias"  house, 

2.  he  said  to  his  son,  go,  and  bring  some  of  our  tribe  that  fear 
God,  to  feast  with  us. 

To  renew  in  the  minds  of  his  ]jeople  the  memory 
of  his  past  mercies,  and  of  the  astonishing  wonders 
which  he  had  wrought  for  their  deliverance;  to  in- 
spire them  with  gratitude,  and  fill  tlieir  hearts  with  a 
love  .of  their  almighty  Benefactor,  God  himself  was 
pleased  to  appoint  for  the  Jews  certain  festivals, 
which  he  commanded  to  be  celebrated  with  great  so- 
solemnity.  The  principal  of  these  festivals,  my  be- 
loved brethren,  were  the  Passovei-,  in  which  the  Jews 
celebrated  their  delivei'ance  from  the  slavery  of  Egypt, 
by  sacrificing  and  eating  the  paschal  lamb ;  the  feast 
of  Pentecost,  in  memory  of  their  receiving  the  law 
from  God  on  mount  Sinai ;  and  the  feast  of  Taberna- 
cles or  Tents,  in  memory  of  their  having  dwelt  in  tents 
during  their  forty  yeais  sojourning  in  the  wilderness. 
To  shew  the  design  of  these  festivals,  Moses,  when  in 
the  name  of  God  he  enjoined  the  religious  observance 
of  the  paschal  solemnity,  thus  addressed  the  Israelites: 
"When  your  children  shall  say  to  you.  What  is  the 
meaning  of  this  service?  You  shall  say  to  them.  It  is 
the  victim  of  the  passage  of  the  Lord,  when  he  passed 
over  the  houses  of  the  children  of  Israel  in  Egypt, 
striking  the  h  gyptians,  and  saving  our  houses.  This 
is  the  observable  night  of  the  lord,  when  he  brought 
them  forth  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt :  this  night  all  the 
children  of  Israel  must  observe  in  their  generations." 
Exodous  xii.  26,  42. — To  give  glory  to  God,  and  in- 
struction and  edification  to  his  people,  was  the  inten- 
tion with  which  the  feasts  of  the  old  law  were  estab- 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  51 

lished  by  God  himself.  The  Saints  who  lived  un- 
der the  Jewish  dispensation,  were  careful  to  fulfil 
the  duty  thus  enjoined  them.  It  was  on  occasion  of 
one  of  these  festivals  appointed  by  the  law,  that  the 
holy  Tobias  made  a  feast  in  his  own  house  and  invited 
some  of  his  friends  to  parlake  of  it.  The  piety  of 
Tobias  was  not  of  that  gloomy  cast  which  forbids 
every  kind  of  mirth,  even  such  as  is  innocent,  and 
throws  an  air  of  rigidness  and  despondency  over  reli- 
gion, whicli  serves  to  render  it  unamiable,  if  not  dis- 
gusting. I  rue  piety  is  ever  amiable  and  inviting. 
Though  her  seat  is  in  the  heart,  yet  she  diffuses  a 
sv»eet  odour  around  her,  and  paints  a  joy  upon  the 
countenance,  which  bespeaks  the  tranquillity  and  peace 
that  attend  her  throne.  Tobias  knew  well  that  the 
principal  design  of  the  festivals  of  the  law  was  to  hon- 
our and  praise  the  god  of  mercy,  and  was  careful  to 
spend  in  acts  of  religion  the  greater  part  of  the  days 
appointed  to  be  kept  holy.  But  he  refused  not  the 
body  its  proper  share  in  these  solemn  rejoicings.  By 
the  innocent  entertainment  which  he  provided  for  his 
friends,  he  both  testified  the  inward  gratitude  of  is 
soul  for  the  divine  favours,  and  expressed  his  ardent, 
wish  tiiat  they  also  might  join  with  him  in  the  same  pious 
dispositions. 

But,  my  beloved  brethren,  if  the  blessing  appointed 
to  be  celebrated  with  yearly  festivals  in  the  old  law 
thus  called  for  the  praise  and  gratitude  of  the  faithful 
servants  of  God,  how  infinitely  more  sublime  and  ho- 
ly are  the  feasts  of  the  Christian  Church,  and  how  in- 
finitely more  strict  is  the  obligation,  incumbent  upon 
us,  of  manifesting  our  grateful  praise  and  thanksgiv- 
ing to  that  bounteous  God,  whose  astonishing  mercies 
we  are  on  these  occasions  summoned  to  commemo- 
rate! The  blessings  of  the  Jewish  covenant  were 
chiefly  temporal  blessings;  at  the  very  best  but  types 
and  shadows  of  the  benefits  poured  out  upon  man  un- 
der the  Christian  dispensation.  We  have  witnessed 
God  himself  descendin<?  from  heaven  to  become  our 


62  FIFTH  HOMILY   ON 

Lawgiver,  our  Victim,  our  Redeemer,  our  Model,  our 
Teacher  and  our  Guide.     For  us  he  clothed  himself 
with  mortal  flesh,  led  a  life  of  humiliation  and  sutfer- 
ing;  for  our  example  he  practised  the  precepts  which 
he  had  delivered,  and  tirst  trode  the  path  that  is  to 
conduct  us  to  our  true  happiness;  for  us  he  bled  in  the 
garden  and  on  the  cross ;  <br  us  he  triumphed  over 
death,  rising  glorious  from  the  grave;  for  us  he  ascen- 
ded to  his  throne  of  everlasting  glory,  as  our  Leader 
and  our  Head,  to  prepare  for  us  a  mansion  in  the  re- 
gions of  bliss,  that  where  he  is  we  also  may  be  ;  for  us 
he  poured  forth  his  Holy  spirit  on  his  Apostles,  estab- 
lished his  Church,  the  pillar  and  the  ground  of  truth; 
for  us  he  enriched  her  with  the  treasures  of  grace  pur- 
chased by  his  blood ;  for  us  he  has  appointed  on  earth 
an  emblem   and  a  pledge  of  the  eternal  feast  of  love 
reserved  for  the  elect,  having,  by  an  admirable  abridg- 
ment of  all  his  other  wonders,  transformed  himself  in- 
to our  food,  that,  entering  into  our  breasts,  he  may 
transform  us  into  himself,  and  becoming  one  with  us, 
may  unite  us  to  himself  by  an  inconceivable  union  of 
love,  which  beginning  here,  may  continue  throughout 
an  eternity  of  bliss.     Shall  these  his  bounties  ever  be 
forgotten.'     Shall  we  ungratefully  refuse  him  the  slen- 
der return  of  our  praise  and  thanksgiving.''     Shall  we 
not  raise  up  our  voices  to  him  on  the  throne  of  his  glo- 
ry and  sigh  for  the  happy  completion  of  his  mercies, 
when,  united  to  the  choirs  that  incessantly  adore  him, 
we  shall  begin  the  song  of  praise  that  will  never  end? 
Oh!  let  us  then  begin  upon  earth  this  happy  employ- 
ment, which  will  one  day  form  ouro\ily  occupation  in 
the  kingdom  of  the  blessed.     "If  I  forget  ihee,  O  Je- 
rusalem, may  my  right  hand    be  forgotten."     Psolm 
cxxxvi.     If  I  forget  thee,  O  my  God  and  my  Saviour; 
if  I  forget  thy  mercies,  may  my  tongue  cleave  to  my 
palate,  and  never  more  be  loosed  to  sing  thy  praises : 
Let  us,  as  becomes   faithful   children  of  the  Church, 
religiously  observe  the  days  appointed  by  her  for  the 
celebration  of  past  mercies. 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  53 

Sensible  of  the  weakness  and  ingratitude  of  human 
nature,  and  fearful  lest  you  should   be  found  wanting 
in  one  of  the   most  important  duties   of  a  rational  be- 
ing and  a   Christian,  the    adoration,  praise,  and  grati- 
tude due  to  the  Supreme  Being,  the  Church  yearly  re- 
news before  your  eyes  the  mysteries  and    blessings 
wrought  by  that  God  "who  was  made  flesh  and  dwelt 
amongst  us,"  to  become  our  instructor  and  our  Re- 
deemer.    In  the  annual  circle  of  her  festivals,  you  be- 
hold the  Son  of  God  born  in  a  stable,  submitting  to 
the  knife  of  circumcision,  adored  by  the  magi,  con- 
versing with  men,  insulted  and  condemned  by  his  own 
creatures,  expiring   on  a  cross;  rising  from  his  tomb, 
ascending  into  heaven,  sending  down  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  enabling  twelve  poor  fishermen,  in  spite  of  the 
opposition  of  the  world  and  the  devil,  to  establish  and 
propagate  his  kingdom  ov»r  the  nations  of  the  earth. 
Other  festivals,  such  as  the  feasts  of  the  Blessed  Vir- 
gin, the  Apostles,  and  principal  Saints,  are  appointed 
by  the  Church  as  a  yearly  tribute  of  thanksgiving  to 
God,  to  whose  grace  those  his  chosen  servants  were 
indebted  for  their  sanctity  and  its  crown.     How  tru- 
ly encouraging  is  the  example  afforded  us  on  these  fes- 
tival days,  of  so  many  of  our  fellow-creatures   rising 
superior  to  the  weakness  of  human  nature,  trampling 
the  vanities  of  the  world  under  their  teet,  and  triumph- 
ing over  Satan,  sin,    and  hell!     How    consoling,   at 
tlie  same  time,  is  the  reflection  which  the  recurrence 
of  these  festivals  awakens  in  our  minds,  of  the  com- 
munion we  enjoy  with  these  our  fellow-members  of 
the  Church,  who  have  already  attained  to  the  glori- 
ous consummation  of  their  labours !  Secure  of  their 
own  happiness,  they  are  now    solicitous  only  for  our 
welfare!     Compassionating  the  frailties  of  our  nature, 
and  knowing  the  temptations  and  snares  to  which  we, 
who  are  still  sorrowing  in  this  vale  of  tears,  are  ex- 
posed, while  prostrate  they  adore  the  gracious  Author 
of  their  own  happiness,  they  pour  forth  their  fervent 
5* 


64  FIFTH  HOMtLV  OK 

supplications  for  us,  petitioning  the  God  of  mercy, 
through  the  merits  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ,  to  bestow  upon  us  those  graces  that  may  ena- 
ble us  to  walk  in  their  footsteps  uuriiig  life,  and  in 
death  may  unite  us  with  them  in  a  participation  of  im- 
mortal glory.  Such  is  the  doctrine,  my  beloved 
brethren,of  the  communion  of  Saints,  a  doctrine  iiicul- 
cated  and  practised  in  every  age  since  the  days  of  the 
Apostles;  inserted  in  the  creed,  or  abridgment  of 
Christian  failh,  which  those  very  Apostles  framed. — 
But  I  shall  not  enlarge  further  on  this  point  at  present. 
I  shall  content  myself  with  observing,  that  whether  we 
consider  the  festival  days  of  the  Church  as  recalling 
to  our  mind  the  mysteries  wrought  by  the  Elessed 
Trinity  for  our  redemption  and  sanctitication,  or  as 
placing  before  our  eyes  the  examples  of  those  of  our 
fellow-members  who  liave  already  arrived  at  their 
crown,  nothing  will  more  powerfully  aid  us  in  our  en- 
deavours to  lead  a  virtuous  life  and  in  attaining  to  the 
end  of  our  being  in  the  joys  of  heaven,  than  to  cele- 
brate with  fidelity,  and  in  the  real  spirit  of  the 
Church,  the  feasts  appointed  by  her.  The  holydays 
of  obligation  are  few  in  number,  yet,  through  the  sloth 
and  insensibility  of  Christians,  strangely  neglected. 
It  is  a  duty  of  strict  obligation  on  those  days  to  abstain 
from  servile  work,  and  to  assist  with  attention  and  de- 
votion at  the  adorable  sacrifice  of  the  mass.  Some- 
times indeed  it  may  happen,  that  a  reasonable  plea  of 
necessity  may  prevent  the  fulfilment  of  this  duty.  But 
with  those  who  truly  desire  to  serve  God  here,  and  to 
enjoy  him  hereafter,  how  very  seldom  is  this  the  case. 
Perhaps  you  will  tell  me,  that  you  see  great  numbers 
of  Catholics,  who,  on  these  days,  without  any  scruple, 
follow  their  usual  employment,  and  absent  themselves 
from  mass.  1  know,  dear  Christians,  and  I  lament 
that  number  of  those  who  thus  transgress  their  duty 
on  the  feasts  of  the  Church,  is  great.  But  I  know  al- 
so what  will  be  the  sentiments  of  these  unhappy  Chris- 


THE  BOOK  OP  TOBIAS.  55 

tians  at  the  momeiit  of  death,  and  when  the}'  shall  stand 
trembl'mg  at  the  judgineiit-seat  ol"  th<nr  Saviour.  I 
have  witnessed  the  anguish  of  soul  with  whicli  the 
sinner,  at  the  awful  hour  of  his  departure,  has  been 
overwhelmed,  froin  the  recollection  of  his  oiminal  ne- 
glect of  these  and  the  like  important  duties.  Melan- 
cholj'wasthe  scene; and  may  the  God  of  mercy  grant 
that  you  may  never  exhibit  so  sad  and  mournful  a  spec- 
tacle in  your  dying  moments!  May  you,  my  belov- 
ed brethren,  be  partakers  of  that  joy  and  consolation, 
which  the  memory  of  their  past  fidelity  in  the  practice 
of  their  religious  duties,  ditfuses  over  the  death-bed 
of  the  servants  of  God  !  Bui  let  it  then  be  ybur  care 
dui'ing  life  to  imitate  this  their  fidelity.  On  the  solemn 
festivals  of  the  Church  abstain  from  work,  and  assist 
at  the  !ioly  sacrifice  of  the  altar.  Let  nothing  but  real 
necessity  excuse  you  from  the  fulfilment  of  this  ob- 
ligation; and  when  such  necessity  does  occur,  obtain 
tlie  sanction  of  your  pastoi-  for  being  dispensed  from 
the  observance  of  this  duty.  Let  your  care  on  this 
point  extend  to  all  under  your  charge,  and  see  that 
your  respective  families  are  punctual  in  complying 
with  the  precept  of  the  Church  on  these  days.  Bring 
them  with  you  to  the  house  of  God,  watch  over  their 
conduct  during  the  lime  of  divine  service,  and  dedi- 
cate some  portion  of  time  on  the  festivals  to  their  reli- 
gious instruction.  If  your  distance  from  chapel  pre- 
vent your  attending  a  second  time  on  these  days  at  the 
public  service  of  the  Church,  fail  not  to  sanctify  at 
least  one  hour  of  the  afternoon,  by  calling  your  fami- 
ly to  prayer,  and  the  hearing  of  the  word  of  God. 
Be  not  afraid  that  your  faithfully  giving  these  days  to 
the  duties  of  religion  will  be  any  injury  to  your  tem- 
poral concerns.  Such  fear  is  unworthy  of  a  Chris- 
tian soul:  it  becomes  only  the  breast  of  an  infidel,  who 
either  disbelieves  the  existence  of  an  all-just  and  good 
Providence,  or  knows  nothing  of  the  promises  which 
God   has   made  to   those  who  faithfully  serve  him. 


56  FIFTH  HOMILY  ON 

Have  you  ever  beheld  the  Catholic  that  neglected  his 
religious  duties  successful  in  his  worldly  business?'  or, 
if  you  liave,  did  you  not  at  the  same  time  see  his  riches 
prove  a  curse  to  himself  and  his  family?  Oh!  be- 
lieve me,  my  beloved  brethren,  the  only  method  to  se- 
cure that  blessing  from  above  which  will  give  success 
to  both  your  temporal  and  eternal  concerns,  is  to  be 
faithful  in  the  service  of  your  Creator,  to  give  to  him 
tliat  which  belongs  to  him,  and  to  observe  religiously 
the  days  devoted  by  the  Church  to  the  praise  and 
adoration  of  the  bounteous  Giver  of  all  good  gifts. 
Having  then,  on  these  days,  given  a  proper  portion  of 
time  to  the  fulfilment  of  thp  duties  which  I  have  point- 
ed out  to  you,  take  your  an^usement;  but  let  it  be 
such,  that  while  i*  proves  a  relaxation  of  mind  and 
body,  it  may  not  tarnish  the  innocence  of  your  souls. 
Like  the  good  Tooias,  prepare,  if  you  please,  a  feast 
for  your  friends,  and  manifest  the  inward  joy  of  your 
heart  by  the  outward  pleasure  with  which  you  enter- 
lain  your  acquaintance,  and  the  imiocent  mirth  that 
seasons  your  conversation.  But,  like  the  same  holy  man, 
select  your  friends  trom  a-i'ong  those  who  fear  God, 
whose  dis>:ourse  will  be  edifying",  and  whose  example 
will  powerfully  incite  you  to  the  practice  of  vii'tue. 
Of  the  weighty  influence  of  good  example,  ;  obias 
is  a  striking  proof  At  first  he  stood  alone  in  the  path 
of  virtue,  but  his  good  life,  his  acts  of  charity,  and 
his  holy  conversation,  soon  made  an  impression  upon 
the  hearts  of  those  who  were  more  intimately  acquain- 
ted with  his  merit.  They  forsook  both  the  com  j 'any 
and  the  manners  of  the  idolaters:  they  attached  them- 
selves closely  to  Tobias,  and  endeavoured  faithfully 
to  copy  the  bright  pattern  of  virtue  which  he  set  be- 
fore them.  With  these  holy  persons,  therefore,  Tobi- 
as associated;  these  he  made  witnesses  and  paitakers 
of  the  entertainment  which  he  had  provided  for  the 
celebration  of  the  Lord's  festival,  of  the  inward  joy 
which  he  derived  from  the  testimony  of  a  good  cod- 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  57 

science,  and  of  the  heartfelt  cheerfulness  with  which 
he  sacrificed  every  earthly  satisfaction  to  the  lasting 
pleasure  arising  from  acts  of  charity  and  virtue     Here 
then,  my  beloved  brethren,  is  a  model  for  yourselves 
in  the  choice  of  your  company  and  amusements  on  the 
days  consecrated  to  God's  service.     Be  not  of  the 
number  of  those  who  give  one  half  of  these  days  to 
God,  and  the  other  half  to  the  devil;  who  in  the  morn- 
ing are  found  in   the  temple  of  the  deity  among  his 
adorers,  in  the  evening  are  to  be  met  with  in  the  house 
of  Satan,  in  the  company  of  his  votaries,  witnesses  at 
least,  if  not  actually  partakers,  of  the  scenes  of  drunken- 
ness, gaming,  and  lewd  and  wicked  discourse,  which 
too  generally  reign  in  the  ale-house   and   the  tavern. 
Perhaps  you  may  flatter  yourselves,  that,  because  you 
do  not  actually  join  in  the  above  crimes,  there  is  nothing 
essentially  wrong  in  your  spending  now  and  then  a  few 
hours  in  the  places  and  in  the  company  to  which  I  al- 
lude.    But  do  not  thus  delude  yourselves.     If,  under 
the  influence  of  this  deceitful  sentiment,  you  thus  with- 
out scruple  frequent  the  resorts  and  the  society  of  the 
wicked,  the  enemy  of  your  souls  has  you  much  more 
securely  in  his  possession  than  if  he  were  to  lead  you  to 
the  commission  of  some  enormous  sin.     You  stand  on 
the  brink  of  a  precipice,  and  you  know  it  not;  you 
hold   by  the    hand  those    who  are  actually  tumbling 
down  the  steep,  and  do  you  flatter  yourselves  with 
safety.?       Were  the  devil  to  solicit  you,  or  even  pre- 
vail upon  you,  to  consent  to  some  grievous  sin,  your 
situation  would  not  be  half  so  dangerous.     Your  eyes 
would  then  open  to  the  sight  of  your  misery,  and  you 
would   fly   to  repentance    for  refuge  and  protection. 
But  in  leading  you  into  the  society  of  the  drunkard, 
the  impure,  the  swearer,  and  the  libertine,  Satan  treach- 
erously robs  you  of  the  fruit  of  your  prayers  and  reli- 
gious exercises,  makes  you  his  instruments  in  bringing 
a  scandal  upon  your  faith;  and  in  thus  rendering  you  the 
cause  of  hindering  the  salvation  of  others,  deprives 


58  FIFTH  HOMILY  OS 

you  of  the  graces  of  God,  and  links  you  in  bands  of 
friendship  with  those  "who  are  enemies  of  the  cross 
of  Christ,  who  glory  in  what  ought  to  be  a  subject  of 
shame  and  confusion  to  them,  and  whose  end  is  eter- 
nal destruction."  Phil.  iii.  18.  Oh!  ily  then,  my  be- 
loved brethren,  these  pernicious  haunts  of  vice,  these 
houses  of  sin;  and  shun  that  fatal  bane  of  souls,  evil 
company.  Choose  for  your  friends  and  familiars  those 
who  fear  God,  with  whom  you  may  go  hand  in  hand 
in  the  practice  of  virtue,  and  with  whom  you  may  rea- 
sonably hope  that  you  shall  one  day  be  found  at  the 
right  hand  of  the  Sovereign  Judge  in  the  day  of  final 
retribution. 

Tobias  had  sent  his  son  to  invite  his  friends  to  join 
with  him  in  celebrating  the  festival  of  the  Lord. 

Ver.  3.  And,  (continues  the  sacred  text.)  when  he  had  gone, 
returning,  he  told  him  that  one  of  the  children  of  Israel  lay 
slain  in  the  street.  And  he  (Tobias)  forthwith  leaped  up  from 
his  place  at  the  table,  and  left   his  dinner,  and  came  fasting  to 

the    body 4.  And  taking  it  up,  carried  it  privately    to  his 

house,  that  after  the  sun  was  down,  he  might  bury  him    cauti- 
ously  5.  And  when  he  had  hid  the  body,  he  ate  bread  with 

mourning    and    fear 6.  Remembering  the  word  which  the 

Lord  spoke  by  Amos  the  prophet:  Vour  festival  davs  shall  be 
turned  into  lamentation  and  mourning. 

\Mio  can  refuse  the  tribute  of  praise  and  admiration 
to  the  charity  of  Tobias?  With  him  every  thing  gives 
place  to  duty.  The  call  of  charity  finds  him  ever 
ready  and  cheerfully  obedient.  Neither  company  nor 
amusement,  neither  the  call  of  hunger  nor  the  fear  of 
punishment,  can  prevent  the  good  Tobias  fiom  exer- 
cising the  works  of  mercy.  <  >r\e  of  his  countrymen 
had  been  murdered,  and  his  body  lay  in  the  strefts  un- 
buried.  Tobias  had  already  exposed  himself  to  death 
by  undertaking  the  same  charitable  office  of  burying 
the  dead.  Yet,  unmoved  by  fear  or  any  worldly  con- 
sideration, he  leaves  his  meal  and  the  company  of  his 
friends,  and  going  to  the  dead  body,  takes  it  upon  his 


THE  BOOK  OF    TOBIAS.  59 

siioiilders  and  brings  it  to  his  house,  intending  to  com- 
mit it  to  tlie  earth  in  the  dusk  of  the  evening,  that  his 
charity  might  escape  tlie  observation  of  his  enemies. 
The  sight  of  the  dead  bodj'  of  one  of  his  countrymen 
who  had  thus  on  a  sutlden  been  deprived  of  life,  filled 
the  holy  man  with  the  deepest  affliction.  But  being 
accustomed  to  regard  every  thing  that  happens  as  ap- 
pointed by  an  all-wise  Providence,  and  to  turn  every 
circumstance  of  life  into  a  source  of  virtue  and  of 
merit,  Tobias,  on  this  melancholy  occasion,  recalled 
to  mind  the  words  which  God  had  spoken  by  Amos 
the  prophet,  threatening  his  people,  that,  in  punish- 
ment of  their  crimes,  their  festivals  should  be  turned 
into  days  of  lamentation  and  mourning.  He  accepted, 
therefore,  of  his  present  affliction  in  a  spirit  of  resig- 
nation and  penance,  and  ottered  it  up  an  agreeable  sa- 
crifice to  the  Almighty,  to  draw  down  mercy  upon 
himself  and  his  afflicted  countrymen.  This  his  con- 
duct points  out  other  exercises  of  piety,  by  which 
you  may  sanctify  the  >undays  and  holydays  of  obliga- 
tion. It  shews  that  acts  of  penance  and  charity,  which 
are  at  all  times  highly  pleasing  to  God,  are  particu- 
larly acceptable  to  him  on  the  days  dedicated  to  his 
service. 

Having  then  shewn  you  the  intention  of  the  Church 
of  God  in  appointnig  her  annual  circle  of  iestivals; 
that  she  designs  to  renew  before  your  eyes  the  memo- 
r\  of  past  mercies,  to  aid  you  in  the  important  duty  of 
praising,  adoring,  and  thanking  the  Author  of  all  good, 
and  in  imploring  fresh  favours  from  his  bounty,  that 
for  your  encouragement  and  assistance  in  the  path  of  vir- 
tue, she  presents  you  with  the  example  of  the  Saints 
who  are  gone  before  you,  and  are  now  your  interces- 
sors in  heaven;  I  conjure  you,  my  beloved  brethren,  as 
you  value  your  eternal  welfare,  faithfully  to  fulfil  the 
precept  of  the  Church  in  the  religious  observance  of 
her  feasts.  Abstain  on  those  days  from  servile  work, 
assist  devoutly  at  mass,  instruct  your  families,  seek 


60  FIFTH   HOMILY   ON 

the  company  of  the  virtuous,  exercise  the  works  of 
mercy,  and  accompany  these  holy  actions  with  acts 
of  penance  and  contrition,  mourning  over  your  past 
sins.  This  is  that  mourning  of  which  it  is  said  "bles- 
sed are  they  that  mourn,  for  they  shall  be  comforted 
with  peace  of  mind  here,  and  the  blessings  of  eternal 
peace  hereafter." 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  61 


SIXTH  H03VEXZ.Y 


Chap.  II.  cer.  7.  So  when  the  sun  was  down,  he  went  and  bu- 
ried him 8.  Now  all  his  neighbours  blamed  him,  saying: 

Once  already  commandment  was  given  for  thee  to  be  siain 
because  of  this  matter,  thou  didst  scarce  escape  the  sentence 
of  death,  and  dost  thou  again  bury  the  dead? 9.  Biit  To- 
bias, fearing  God  more  tlian  the  king,  carried  off  the  bodies  of 
them  that  were  slain,  aud  hid  them  in  his  house,  and  at  mid- 
night buried  Ihcm. 

For  the  trial  of  the  virtue  of  the  servaVitsof  God,  a 
strange  variety  of  dang'ers  and  temptations  are  per- 
mitted, by  an  all-wise  Providence,  to  assail  them  dur- 
ing tlie  short  time  of  their  mortal  pilgrimage.  Among 
these  trials,  my  beloved  Brethren,  there  is  hardly  any 
one  which  proves  a  more  serious  obstacle  in  their  p)o- 
gress  towards  perfection,  or  which  more  Irequently  in- 
duces those  who  have  begun  to  labour  ior  their  salva- 
tion, to  abandon  their  undertaking,  than  human  res- 
pects, or  a  fear  of  what  the  world  will  say  of  them. 
What  the  enemy  of  man  cannot  compass  by  his  own 
arts  and  malice,  he  too  often  succeeds  in  accomplishing 
by  some  of  our  unhappy  fellow-creatures,  who  act 
as  his  agents  in  seducing  or  deterring  others  from  the 
practice  of  virtue.  V^  hen  his  other  weapons  have 
failed,  the  infernal  spirit  attacks  the  followers  of  the 
Gospel  with  the  ridicule  and  reproofs  of  worldings, 
and  by  this  means  he  too  often  succeeds  in  under- 
mining their  piety.  Many  who  would  have  nobly 
braved  the  severest  tortures  for  their  faith  who  had  in 
fact  already  triumphed  over  the  rudest  assaults  of  that 
most  fierce  and  dangerous  enemy,  the  flesh;  who  had 
edified  the  world  by  their  virtue,  and  laid  up  a  rich 
store  of  merit  for  eternal  life;  have  shrunk  before  the 
taunts  and  ridicule  of  pretended  friends,  and,  for  fear 
6 


62  SIXTH  HOMILY  ON 

of  being  blamed  or  laughed  at  by  the  giddy  followers 
of  the   world,   have   abandoned  the  path  of  virtue. 
Like  the  opening  bud  of  some  tender  flower,  broken 
from  its  stem  by  the  ru4e  wintry  storm,  their  virtue 
sinks  before  the  chilling  blast  of  worldly  ridicule,  and 
dies.     <  'r  it  may  be  said  to  resemble  a  free,  which, 
after  being  clothed  with  rich  blossoms,  withers  before 
the  worm  that  gnaws  at  its  root.     Thousands  of  un- 
happy mortals,  who  had  begun  the  career  of  virtue, 
and  felt  within  themselves  a  desire  of  eternal  life  have 
been  suddenly  stopped  in  the  aiidst  of  their  progress, 
because  the  world  has  branded  their  piety  with  the 
imputation  of  folly,  and  assailed  tliem  with  its  sneers 
and  its  censures.     Some  indeed  struggle  for  a  wiiile 
against  the  torrent  that  opposes  them;  but  tired  of  the 
toil  at  length  cease  all  opposition,  and  are  carried  off 
by  the  violence  of  the  stream  into  the   gulph  of  eter- 
nal perdition.     Melancholy  indeed  is  the  reflection  ex- 
cited by  a  contemplation  of  the  dreadful  liavock  of 
souls,  which  is  thus  made  by  a  foolish  fear  of  the  ridi- 
cule of  the  world.     But  how  far  more  melancholy  will 
be  the  thoughts  that  will  one  day  rack  those  very  souls 
that  have  been  thus  seduced  aiid  cheated  of  their  crown 
To  think  that  they  once  enjoyed  the  near  prospect  of 
eternal  bliss,  and  for  the  paltry  consideiatiun  of  screen- 
ing themselves  from  the  sneers  of  deluded  worldlings, 
suffered  themselves  to  be  robbed  of  the  fiuit  of  then- 
past  virtues,  and  consented  to  take  up  their  portion  in 
everlasting  misery — Oh!  how  cutting  will  be  the  re- 
flection! 

Few,  my  beloved  brethren,  f^w  are  those,  who  like 
the  good  Tobias,  set  the  laughter  and  contempt  of  the 
world  at  defiance;  whose  virtue  rises  superior  to  every 
human  consideration.  You  have  seen,  and  you  hav^e 
admired  the  fidelity  with  which  that  holy  servant  of 
God  persevered  in  the  steady  practice  of  virtue,  and 
more  particulaily  in  the  exercise  of  the  works  of  mer- 
cy.    His  earthly  sovereign  threatened  him  with  death. 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  63 

if  he  pursued  his  usual  chanty  of  burying  the  dead. 
Of  his  worldly  friends,  some  reproved  him  for  expo- 
sins^  his  life  to  danger  by  continuing  that  holy  office, 
while  others  laughed  at  his  piely,  and  ridiculed  it  un- 
d.'M-  tlie  appellation  of  folly.  But  neither  threats  nor 
allurements,  neither  contempt  nor  reproot,  could  shake 
hi-i  resolution,  or  weaken  his  attachment  to  virtue.  He 
loved  God  with  all  his  strength  and  with  all  his  soul. 
To  serve  his  Creator  faithfully  in  this  life,  and  enjoy 
him  eternally  in  the  next,  was  the  only  object  of  his 
atlections  and  desires;  and  rather  than  go  astray  the 
least  step  from  the  path  of  virtue,  or  run  the  danger 
of  losing  the  favour  of  liis  God,  and  the  promised  re- 
ward of  bliss,  he  was  ready  at  any  hour  to  resign  his 
life.  Oh!  undaunted  constancy!  Oh!  admirable  forti- 
tude of  soul!  I'he  more  admirable,  because  the  gra- 
ces and  helps  to  heaven  were  not  so  plentifully  diffus- 
ed upon  mankind  under  the  Jewish  dispensation,  as 
they  are  in  the  law  of  Christ;  examples  of  perfection 
were  then  more  rare,  and  the  path  to  happiness  not  so 
clearly  marked  out,  and  trodden  but  by  few.  Tobias 
feared  God  more  than  the  power  of  the  king,  or  the  re- 
proofs of  worldly  friends;  and  with  unshaken  fidelity 
and  perseverance,  fulfilled  his  usual  exercises  of  piety 
and  mercy.  Let  the  like  unwearied  constancy  mark 
your  steps  in  the  patb  of  virtue.  Frequently  recall  to 
your  minds,  for  your  encouragement  under  difficulties 
and  trials,  the  example  of  this  holy  man,  and  of  other 
servants  of  God,  particularly  of  the  first  Christians, 
who  were  exposed,  on  account  of  the  practice  of  their 
religion,  to  those  dreadful  persecutions  which  the  in- 
fernal enemy  of  man's  salvation  raised,  and  continued 
for  more  than  three  centuries  against  the  Church.  Your 
situation  in  many  respects  resembles  that  of  the  first 
professors  of  Christianity.  The  slanders  thrown  upon 
the  Catholic  faith  in  these  our  days,  are  little  else  but 
a  repetition  of  the  calumnies  heaped  upon  it  at  that 
early  period;  except  that  the  jiutliors  of  them  are  no 


64  SIXTH  HOMILY  ON 

longer  heathens,  but  nien  who  profess  to  believe  in 
Christianity,  and  who,  it  is  to  be  feared,  will  conse- 
quently be  less  excusable  in  the  divine  sight.  It  is 
not,  however,  so  much  against  their  slanderous  attacks 
of  your  faith  that  I  now  wish  to  put  you  on  your  guard, 
as  against  the  less  open  though  more  daiigerous  snare  for 
your  virtue,  to  be  met  uith  in  the  evil  example,  the 
sneers,  or  the  ridicule  of  those  who,  while  they  bear 
the  name  of  Christian,  lead  unchiistian  lives;  and  ac- 
ting as  instruments  of  the  devil  in  undermining  your 
virtue,  will  seek  to  laugh  you  out  of  the  practice  of 
religion.  But,  "be  ye  not  afraid  of  men,  who  at  most 
can  hurt  your  bodies  only;  fear  ye  Him,  who  hath 
power  to  cast  both  body  and  soul  into  hell."'  Matt  x. 
28.  Impress  upon  your  minds  that  declaration  uf  your 
Redeemer,  "If  any  man  be  ashamed  of  me  and  of  ir.y 
words,  of  him  shall  the  Sou  of  Man  be  ashamed,  when 
he  shall  come  in  majesty  to  judge  the  world."  But  if 
ye  confess  him  before  men,  by  a  steady  adherence  to 
his  faith  and  precepts  in  the  practice  of  your  lives,  he 
will  confess  you  before  his  Father,  he  will  acknowl- 
edge you  as  his  true  disciples,  and  confirm  your  title 
to  the  everlasting  reward  which  awaits  those  who  iiave 
faithfully  followed  him.  When  deluded  worldlings 
attempt  to  seduce  you  from  the  way  of  virtue,  by  brasid- 
ing  your  strict  attention  to  your  religious  duties  witli 
the  name  of  folly,  or  by  ridiculing  your  piety,  at  iii 
yourselves  against  their  artful  and  malicious  attacks, 
by  the  thought  of  what  will  one  day  be  your  sentiments 
at  the  judgment-seat  of  Jesus  Christ  Oh!  how  dread- 
ful will  be  the  remorse  which  will  then  overwhelm 
your  souls,  if  you  shall  be  found  to  have  deserted  the 
path  of  virtue,  and  voluntarily  have  consented  to  your 
own  eternal  destruction,  through  a  foolisli  dread  of  in- 
curring the  displeasure  of  your  iellow-creatures.  Learn 
then,  with  the  good  Tobias,  to  despise  both  the  threats 
and  the  allurements  of  the  world,  and  to  puisue  with 
undaunted  constancy  the  practice  of  virtue,  under  what- 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  65 

even  rials  and  difficulties  you  may  meet  with  in  the  faith- 
ful discharge  of  your  duty.  The  servants  of  God,  so  far 
from  being  exempt  from  tribulation,  are,  from  the  very 
circumstance  of  their  lives  being  so  directly  opposite 
to  those  of  the  generality  of  men,  more  certain  to  be 
exposed  to  a  greater  share  of  it  than  others.  The  tri- 
als which  in  the  hand  of  an  all-wise  Providence  are  a 
scourge  to  the  wicked,  bring  the  virtues  of  his  servants 
to  the  highest  degree  of  perfection  in  this  life,  and  exalt 
them  in  the  next  world  to  their  crown  of  glory.  God 
no  where  promises  temporal  peace  and  prosperity  as 
the  portion  of  those  who  engage  in  his  service;  but, 
on  the  contrary,  has  expressly  forewarned  them  "that 
all  they  who  would  live  godily  in  Christ  Jesus,  must 
sutler  persecution."  While  some  of  the  trials  that  be- 
fall the  servants  of  God  arise  fro'^.  the  malice  of  the 
wicked,  who  are  permitted  to  live,  either  that  they 
themselves  may  repent,  or  that  by  them  the  just  ma)'^ 
be  exercised  in  the  virtues  of  patience  and  resignation; 
other  tribulations  are  expressly  sent  them  by  the  hand 
of  the  Almighty,  for  the  perfection  of  their  virtue. 
Of  the  latter  truth,  the  history  of  the  holy  Tobias  is 
now  going  to  present  you  with  a  most  edifying  example. 

Ver.    10.   Now  it  happened  oiie  day,  that,  being  wearied   with  bu 
ryiiig,  Tobias  came  to  his  house,  and  cast  himself  down  by  the 

wall  and   slept, 11.     And  as  he  was  sleeping,  hot  dung  out 

of  a  swallow's  nest  fell  upon  his  eyes,  and  he  was  made  blind. 

12.     Now  tills  trial  the  Lord  therefore  permitted  to  happen 

to    him,  that  an    example  might  be  given  to  posterity  of  his 
patience,  as  of  holy  Job. 

The  short  view,  which  I  have  in  the  preceeding  in- 
structions set  before  you,  of  the  virtues  of  Tobias, 
must  have  impressed  you,  my  beloved  brethren,  with  a 
thorough  conviction  of  his  being  truly  a  just  man, 
whose  life  was  full  of  good  works.  True  to  his  char- 
acter of  a  servant  of  God,  he  presents,  in  every  cir- 
cumstance of  his  history,  a  model  of  perfection.  You 
6* 


66  SIXTH  HOMILY  ON 

have  beheld  him  from  his  youth  faithful  in  the  obser- 
vance of  tiie  divine  laws;  carefully  shunning  the  con- 
tagion of  evil  com,)any;  sanctifying  the  most  ordinary 
actions  and  employments  of  his  life  by  a  spirit  of  pie- 
ty, and  a  recollection  of  the  divine  word;  bringing  up 
his  son  in  the  fear  of  god;  full  of  charity  for  his  fellow- 
sufferers,  cheerfully  exercising  the  works  of  mercy 
towards  them  during  their  life,  and  after  their  death; 
in  fine,  you  have  seen  him  generouly  sacrificing  every 
earthly  consideration  rather  than  omit  the  doing  of  a 
good  action;  and  exposing  himself  to  the  danger  of 
losing  his  property  and  even  life  itself,  rather  than  not 
obey  the  call  of  charity.  is  enemies  threatened  him 
with  death  as  the  recompence  of  his  mercy:  his  friends 
accused  him  of  rashness  and  folly;  but  Tobias,  listen- 
ing only  to  the  voice  of  conscience  and  of  duty,  and 
fearing  God  more  than  men,  continued  his  exercises 
of  charity,  avoiding  on  the  one  hand,  the  neglect  of 
duty  from  any  human  respects,  and  on  the  other,  all 
wilful  and  unnecessary  exposing  of  himself  to  danger, 
burying  the  dead  in  the  silence  of  the  night,  to  prevent 
his  acts  of  mercy  from  being  discovered  by  his  ene- 
mies. Such  is  a  short  sketch  of  the  virtuous  life  of 
Tobias.  Who  would  not  have  expected,  in  return  for 
a  life  so  holy  and  edifying,  to  see  his  days  blessed  with 
an  uninterrupted  course  of  temporal  prosperity.''  But, 
my  beloved  brethren,  the  reward  of  the  servants  of 
God  is  not  to  be  looked  for  in  the  short  duration  of 
t'aeir  mortal  existence.  Their  recompence  is  reserved 
lor  eternity,  where  they  will  reap  the  fruit  of  their 
past  fidelity  in  everlasting  and  unchangeable  bliss.  The 
Saints,  placing  their  whole  heart  and  affections  on  the 
good  things  of  a  future  state,  look  for  humiliations 
and  afflictions  as  their  portion  in  this  world,  knowing 
that  they  must  first  learn  to  suffer  with  their  Redeem- 
er, if  they  would  reign  with  him  in  glory. 

After  many  years  of  a  life  spent  in  the  faithful  per- 
formance of  every  good  work,  Tobias,  while  resting 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  67 

from  the  fatigues  brought  upon  him  by  burying  the 
dead,  is  struck  with  blindness.  The  occasion  of  this 
aflliction  in  the  eyes  of  worldlings  would  be  viewed  as 
a  mere  accident,  as  a  thing  happening  by  chance.  But 
the  Christian,  whose  faith  teaches  him  that  the  same 
Almighty  hand  which  framed  the  world,  rules  and 
governs  it,  believes,  as  a  most  undoubted  truth,  that 
nothing,  excepting  sin,  hap'jens  in  the  universe  but  by 
the  express  order  and  will  of  God.  There  is  no  such 
thing  as  chance:  God  has  regulated  and  appointed  all 
things  from  eternity.  Even  the  very  hairs  of  our  head 
are  all  numbered  by  him,  and  not  one  of  them  falleth 
to  the  ground  without  his  will  and  permission.  The 
order  of  his  Providence  is  not  confined  to  us,  it  ex- 
tends ro  the  wliole  of  his  creatures  Not  a  blade  of 
grass  springs  up  in  the  fields,  not  a  leaf  moves,  nor  a 
branch  decays  on  the  trees,  but  by  his  divine  permis- 
sion. In  whatever,  therefore,  befals  us,  under  the  se- 
verest afflictions  and  the  most  disheartening  trials,  it 
is  not  to  chance,  nor  the  mere  malice  of  men,  that  we 
are  to  look  as  the  cause  of  our  sutterings;  but  in  these 
occurrences,  no  less  than  in  our  greatest  prosperities, 
we  are  to  view  the  hand  of  that  God  who  ordains  and 
sweetly  disposes  all  things  for  the  good  of  his  servants. 
This  truth,  the  knowledge  of  which  is  of  so  much 
consequence,  both  for  our  present  and  future  welfare, 
is  clearly  pointed  out  to  us,  and  exemplified  in  the 
blindness  that  befell  Tobias.  The  holy  scripture  ex- 
pressly tells  us,  that  the  Lord  permitted  this  trial  to 
happen  to  him  for  the  perfection  of  his  virtue,  and  that 
he  might  shine  to  future  ages,  like  another  Job,  a  bright 
pattern  of  patience  and  resignation  to  the  divine  will. 
With  what  admirable  humility  and  submission  did  the 
holy  Tobias  embrace  the  appointment  of  heaven!  For, 
says  the  sacred  text: 


68  SlXl  H  HOMILY  ON 

Ver.  13  Whereas  he  had  always  feared  God  from  his  infano.y, 
and  kept  his  conitnandments,  he  repined  not  against  God,  because 

the  evil   of  blindness  had  befallen   him 14.     But  continued 

immoveable  in  tt^e  fear  of  God,  giving  thanks  to  God  ail  the  days 

of  his  life 15.     For  as  the  kings  insulted  over  holy  Job;  so 

his    relations    and    kinsmen    mocked    at   his    life,    saying; 16 

Where  is  thy  ho{)e,  for  which  thou  gavest  alms,  and  lini-iedst  (he 

dead? 17.     But  Tobias  rebuked  tlicm,  sasing,  speak  not  so:.... 

...18.  For  wc  are  the  children  of  saints,  and  look  for  that  life 
which  God  will  y;ive  to  them  that  never  change  their  faitii  from 
huu. 

To  what  a  height  of  perfection,  my  beloved  breth- 
ren, are  the  knowledge  aiid  })ractice  of  this  truth,  that 
nothing  happens  but  by  ihe  order  of  divine  Providence, 
capable   of  raising  the    soul   of  man!     Tobias  in   his 
atliictiou  rises  superior  to  human  nature,  and  manifests 
a  virtue  worthy  of  a  higher  order  of  beings,  a  virtue 
truly  angelical.     The  blessed  spirits  aI>ove  know  no 
other  occLipaiiou  than  to  adore  and  execute  the  will  of 
God;  and  the  Saints  who  ai'c  oiie  day  to  be  united  with 
them  in  bliss,  know  no  other  hapjiiness  here  on  earth 
than  to  embrace  and  accomplish  the  divine  will  in  all 
ils  appointments.     The  consideration  of  the  will  of 
heaven  animates  them  with  courage  in  the  hour  of  tiial, 
covers  them  with  an  impregnable  shield  in  the  day  of 
dangei',  lightens  their  burdens,  sooths  their  afflictions, 
softens  their  persecutions,  and  turns  what  th(?  world 
calls  misery  into  a  source  of  niei-it  and  of  sweet  tran- 
quillity here,  and  of  intinite  rewards  hereafter.    Among 
the   ordinary    evils  that   attend    the  life  of  man  upon 
earth;  we  can  scarcely  conceive  a  more  heavy  alliic- 
tion  than  that  which  befell  Tobias.     The  loss  of  his 
sight  was  to  him  a  double  distress;  it  not  only  prevented 
him  from  fulfilling   the  common  occupations  of  life, 
but  debarred  him  from  exercising  his  usual  works  of 
mercy,  in  seeking  for  objects  of  charhy,  and  in  bury- 
ing the  dead.     To  this  severe  trial  was  added  another 
equally,  or  perhaps  more  painful,  the  ungrateful  and 
uncharitable  behaviour  of  those  who  called  themselves 
his  friends.     Instead  of  pouring  the  balm  of  consoling 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  69 

words  into  his  afflicted  soul,  and  endeavouring  to  light- 
en his  sorrows,  they  insulted  him,  they  reviled  iiini, 
and  ridiculed  his  past  life  of  virtue.  Void  of  all  true 
sentiments  of  piety  themselves,  they  would,  if  possi- 
ble, have  rooted  such  sentiments  from  the  breast  of 
Tobias,  and  thus  have  deprived  him  of  wljat  was  then 
his  only  comfort — the  testimony  of  a  good  conscience 
as  to  his  past  life,  and  his  confidence  in  the  divine 
friendship  and  protection.  A  similar  aggravation]  of 
his  affliction  had  happened  ages  befoi-e  to  holy  Job, 
who,  when  insulted  by  his  friends,  and  tempted  by  his 
wife  to  blaspheme  the  God  of  heaven  and  put  an  end 
to  his  existence,  bore  all  insults  with  patience,  rejec- 
ted the  solicitations  of  his  wife  with  iiori-or,  and,  un- 
der the  heaviest  distress  tliat  ever  fell  to  the  lot  of 
man,  preserved  unsliaken  his  fidelity  to  God,  and  even 
blessed  and  praised  the  hand  tiiat  aiUi;;led  him.  Like 
that  holy  man,  Tobias,  in  his  blindness,  continu 'd  im- 
moveable in  the  fear  of  God,  and  the  practice  of'  vir- 
tue. Unable  any  longer  to  exercise  his  accustomed 
outward  acts  of  ciianty,  he  redoubled  the  interior 
homage  of  his  heart  to  the  supreme  Being,  and  dedi- 
cated his  time  to  the  acceptable  .  duty  of  praise  and 
thanksgiving  for  past  favours,  and  fervent  supplica- 
tions for  a  continuance  of  divine  grace.  When  iiis 
worldly  friends,  whose  hopes  extended  not  beyond 
the  grave,  and  whose  affections  were  placed  solely 
upon  earthly  blessings,  mocked  his  |)ast  virtues,  and 
insultingly  asked  liim,  where  was  now  his  hope,  and 
what  was  the  fruit  of  all  the  toils  and  dangers  to  which 
he  had  exposed  himself  in  the  patii  of  virtue?  The 
servant  of  God  rebuked  them  with  meekness,  saying: 
"Speak  not  so;  for  we  are  the  chiidien  of  Saints,  and 
look  for  that  life  which  God  will  give  to  them  that  ne- 
ver change  their  faith  from  him."  As  if  tiiis  holy  man 
had  said  to  them:  Look  at  the  lives  of  the  ancient  pa- 
triarchs, Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  whom  we  call 
our  fathers.     Those  venerable  servants  of  God,  con-> 


70  SIXTH  HOMILY  ON 

sidering  themselves  as  ouly  strani^ers  and  pilgrims  on 
this  earth,  fixed  their  hearts  on  the  blessings  promised 
a  future  state.  During  their  mortal  lite,  the  will  of 
(jrod  was  their  only  guide  in  all  their  actions;  in  obe- 
dievice  to  his  will,  they  cheerluUy  submitted  to  the 
portion  of  trials  annexed  to  their  earthly  pilgrimage 
looking  forward  to  the  recompense  of  their  virtue  in 
that  eternal  life  which  God  will  bestow  upon  those 
who  never  lose  their  faith  in  hinr,  but  with  a  full  con- 
fidence in  his  power  and  mercy,  persevere  to  the  end 
of  their  lives  in  his  service. 

Such,  dear  Christians,  were  the  admirable  senti- 
ments of  piety  which  animated  and  consoled  the  virtu- 
ous Tobias  in  the  heavy  trial  which  had  befallen  him. 
He  submitted  with  humble  resignation  to  the  a[)point- 
nieat  of  heaven,  and  this  submission  filled  bim  with 
present  comfort  and  with  future  hope.  As  tbe  glory 
of  God  had  ever  been  the  object  of  all  his  actions,  so 
the  accomplishment  of  the  divine  will  was  the  object 
of  iiis  desires  and  affections.  By  his  strict  fidelity  in 
the  divine  service  from  his  youth,  he  had  secured  to 
himseli'  those  graces  wliicb  now  enabled  him  to  meet 
his  severe  trials  with  patience,  and  turn  them  into  a 
source  of  everlasting  happiness.  h!  cherish  then  in 
your  souls  the  spirit  of  this  holy  man,  and  imitate  his 
steady  attachment  to  virtue.  Let  no  human  consider- 
ations, nor  a  fear  of  what  the  world  may  say  of  you, 
deter  you  from  the  practice  of  virtue.  Remember 
that  your  business  in  this  life  is  to  serve  God.  Let 
his  will  then  be  the  rule  of  all  your  actions  Seek 
first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  justice;  sanctifying 
all  the  emi)loyiiienls  of  your  lives  by  doing  them  with 
a  view  to  please  God,  and  to  gain  eternal  life.  Con- 
sider whatever  befalls  you  as  ordained  by  an  all-wise 
Pi'ovidence  for  your  good,  and  be  cheerfully  resigned 
to  his  holy  will,  even  under  the  greatest  crosses  and 
disappointments  Then  will  you  truly  love  God  above 
all  things,  when  you  shall  have  no  other  will  but  his. 


THE  BOOK  OP  TOBIAS.  71 

This  conformity  to  the  divine  will,  is  that  charity  of 
which  the  Ajtostle  says,  that  "it  is  the  bond  of  perfec- 
tion." Tongues  shall  cease;  prophecies  shall  be  made 
void;  faith  shall  no  longer  be  necessary,  when  the  soul 
shall  see  her  God  face  to  face;  hope  shall  be  swallow- 
ed up  in  enjoyment;  but  charity,  the  love  of  God  and 
of  his  will,  never  faileth,  but  will  continue  throughout 
an  eternity  of  bliss,  that  happy  union  of  will  and  af- 
fection which  even  in  this  life  subsists  between  God 
and  his  servants.     Amen. 


72  SEVENTH  HOMILY    ON 


SEVENTH  B01MCXI.Y. 


Chap.  11  ver.  19.  Now  Anna  his  wife  went  daily  to  weaving 
work,  and  she  brought  home  what  slie  couid  get  for  their  liv- 
ing,   by    the   labour    ^■(  her  hands 20.     Whereby    it 

came   to  pass,   that  she   received  a  young  kid.  and   brought  it 

home 21.     And  when    her    husband  heard  it  bleating, 

he  said:  Take  heed  iest  perhaps  it  be  stolen;  restore  it  to  its 
owner,  for  it  is  noi  lawi'ul  for  us  either  to  eat  or  to  touch  any 
thing  thai  comelh  by  liieft. 

The  servants  of  God,  in  a  slate  of  affliction  and 
trial,  are  compared  by  the  holy  Scripture  to  gold  in 
the  furnace.  For  as  gold  by  passing-  through  the  fire 
loses  nothing  of  its  own  substance,  bui  being  by  this 
operation  cleansed  from  every  particle  of  dress  that 
adhered  lo  it,  comes  fortli  from  the  furnace  more  bright 
and  more  valuable  than  it  Avas  before:  so,  my  beloved 
biethren,  tbe  virtues  of  the  Saints  receive  a  new  lus- 
tre from  the  persecutions  of  the  wcrlu,  and  the  afflic- 
tions of  this  life;  are  separated  from  all  dross  of  earth- 
ly affection,  and  are  crowned  with  a  much  higher  de- 
gree of  merit,  as  to  eternal  life.  The  character  of 
the  holy  Tobias,  which  in  time  of  prosperity  appear- 
ed so  edifying,  shone  forth  with  much  greater  splen- 
dor, in  the  afflicting  state  of  bliiidness  and  poveity,  to 
which  Providence  had  reduced  him.  This  severe  tri- 
al stamped  his  virtues  with  the  seal  of  heaven,  and 
made  it  manifest  lo  the  world  that  his  good  works 
were  not  performed  from  any  human  motive,  or  a  view 
to  any  earthly  advantage,  but  from  a  pure  love  of 
God,  and  a  desire  of  eternal  life.  This  holy  man, 
who,  by  the  blessing  of  Providence,  and  the  favour  of 
his  earthly  sovereign,  had  lately  enjoyed  the  truly  en- 
viable happiness  of  being  enabled  to  dispense  large 
alms  lo  his  distressed  countrymen,  was  now,  by  the 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  73 

permission  of  the  same  all-wise  Providence,  reduced 
to  want.  The  holy  Scripture  does  not  inform  us  by 
what  means  Tobias  became  poor;  but  his  stock  of  mo- 
ney was  exhausted  too  suddenly  to  be  immediately  re- 
placed. It  is  true,  he  had  lent  a  considerable  sum  to 
his  countryman  Gabelus;  but  as  he  had  no  longer  the 
liberty  of  going  whilhersoever  he  pleased,  he  could 
not  at  present  recover  it.  In  addition,  therefore,  to 
the  severe  affliction  of  the  loss  of  sight,  Tobias  found 
himself  lorced  to  struggle  with  another  hardship,  that 
of  poverty.  The  world  looks  upon  poverty  as  one 
of  the  worst  of  the  evils  that  can  befall  man  in  this  life. 
But  the  Saints,  who  view  things  through  a  very  differ- 
ent medium  from  that  in  which  the  followers  of  the 
world  behold  the  objects  that  surround  them,  with- 
drawing their  heart  and  affections  from  all  the  transi- 
tory advantages  of  this  life,  fix  them  upon  those  eter- 
nal blessings  which  are  alone  worthy  of  the  soul  of 
man.  Casting  all  their  care,  as  to  worldly  goods,  upon 
that  bountiful  God  whom  they  serve,  and  who  ordains 
all  things  for  the  good  of  his  servants,  they  embrace 
with  equal  cheerfulness  all  the  appointments  of  his  ho- 
ly will,  whether  as  to  riches  or  poverty,  prosperity  or 
adversity.  If  Providence  blesses  them  with  abundance, 
knowing  the  danger  of  riches,  a  fatal  source  of  per- 
dition to  thousands,  and  remembering  that  they  are 
only  stewards  of  the  great  and  Sovereign  Lord  of  all, 
they  distribute  them  in  acts  of  mercy  to  their  fellow- 
creatures,  and  thus  turn  the  corruptible  riches  of  this 
earth  into  solid  and  never-failing  treasures  for  eternity. 
eyeful  not  to  set  their  affections  upon  worldly  riches, 
they  use  their  possessions  as  if  they  used  them  not, 
preserving  their  hearts  totally  disengaged  from  all 
misplaced  attachment  to  them,  and  living  in  the  dispo- 
sition of  being  willing  to  part  from  them,  whenever 
such  shall  be  the  will  of  Providence.  Hence,  if  the 
Almighty  visit  them  with  poverty,  being  fully  assured 
that  all  his  dispensations  are  designed  for  their  future 
7 


74  THE  SEVENTH  HOMILY  ON 

good,  they  bow  with  cheerful  submission  to  the  divine 
will,  being  confident  that  he  who  feeds  the  birds  of 
the  air  and  clothes  the  lilies  of  the  field,  will  provide 
them  with  the  necessaries  of  this  life,  more  than  which 
they  neither  ask  nor  desire.  It  is  thus  that  the  servants 
of  God,  under  the  severest  hardships  and  trials,  enjoy 
a  happiness  which  the  followers  of  the  world  in  vain 
attempt  to  find  in  the  attainment  of  earthly  emolu- 
ments. 

Of  the  above  truths,  the  conduct  of  Tobias,  during 
his  blindness  and  poverty,  is  a  stiiking  and  at  the  same 
time  an  edifying  proof.  Tiiough  deprived  of  his 
possessions,  and  what  was  still  more  valuable,  his 
sight,  he  murmurs  not  against  heaven,  nor  loses  his 
confidence  in  the  Almighty,  but  professes  himself  a 
child  and  a  follower  of  the  ancient  patriarchs,  who 
looked  for  their  happiness  and  tlieir  reward  in  a  future 
state. — As  Tobias,  in  consequence  of  his  blindness, 
was  unable  to  work  ior  his  bread,  his  wife  every  day 
strove  by  the  labour  of  her  own  hands  to  support  her- 
self and  her  afiiicted  husband.  What  she  earned  by 
her  employment  of  weaving  cloth  during  the  day,  she 
carefully  brought  home  in  the  evening.  It  happened 
on  one  occasion  that  she  brought  with  her  a  young 
kid,  which  she  had  received  either  as  a  part  of  her 
pay,  or  as  a  present  over  and  above  what  was  the 
price  of  her  labour.  Her  husband  hearing  the  animal 
bleating,  said  to  her,  "Take  heed,  lest  perhaps  it  be 
stolen;  restore  it  to  its  owner,  for  it  is  not  lawful  for 
us  either  to  eat  or  to  touch  any  thing  that  conieth  by 
theft." — Tobias  meant  not  by  these  words  to  accuse 
his  wife  of  the  crime  of  theft;  but,  fearing  Iest*the 
poverty  to  which  they  were  now  reduced,  might  have 
weakened  her  principles  of  honesty,  or  induced  her 
to  accept  of  a  present  from  someone  who  had  not  the 
right  authority  to  give  it,  he  recalled  to  her  mind  the 
maxims  of  the  divine  law,  which  forbids,  not  only  ac- 
tual commission  of  theft,  but  also  all  participation  in 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  75 

the  fruits  of  injustice.  In  the  divine  oracles  there  is 
nothing  superfluous.  The  circumstance  now  under 
our  consideration,  is  in  its  outward  appearance  trifling 
and  unimportant;  but  within  is  full  of  useful  instruc- 
tion. It  serves  to  give  us  a  much  clearer  insight  into 
the  character  of  Tobias;  it  shews  us  the  extent  of  his 
virtue,  and  how  deeply  the  principles  of  justice  and 
integrity  were  implanted  in  his  heart.  Many  of  the 
Jews,  indeed  the  far  greater  part  of  them,  being  what 
is  called  carnal-minded,  looked  no  farther  than  the 
outward  letter  of  the  law  of  God,  either  as  to  its  pre- 
cepts or  its  promises.  As  their  hearts  were  fixed 
upon  earthly  objects,  they  observed  the  ordinances  of 
the  law  solely  with  a  view  to  temporal  prosperity; 
and  having  no  better  motive  to  influence  them,  it  is  no 
wonder  that  they  confined  their  observance  of  the  law 
to  the  mere  letter  of  the  precept.  They  carefully 
abstained  from  theft,  but  at  the  same  time  indulged 
without  scruple  in  many  other  crying  sins  of  injustice; 
all  of  them  branches  of  the  same  crime  of  theft,  and 
all  equally  contrary  to  the  love  of  their  neighbour. 
Provided  that  their  lives  were  not  stained  with  any  of 
the  grosser  sorts  of  crimes,  expressly  forbidden  by 
the  words  of  the  commandments,  they  were  satisfied; 
they  concluded  themselves  favourites  and  in  this  char- 
acter looked  with  confidence  for  temporal  riches,  as 
the  reward  of  what  they  deemed  to  be  fidelity  in  the 
divine  service.  Thus  framing  to  themselves  a  false 
conscience,  they  passed  their  lives  under  the  influence 
of  its  delusive  guidance,  profoundly  ignorant  of  many 
of  their  most  important  obligations,  and  consequent- 
ly living  in  the  constant  violation  of  some  of  their 
strictest  duties.  Nor  did  the  delusion  end  tiU  death 
opened  the  eyes  of  their  souls  and  they  found  them- 
selves stationed  at  that  awful  tribunal  where  the  ac- 
tions of  mankind  are  weighed,  not  in  the  deceitful 
scales  of  human  justice,  but  in  the  unerring  balance  of 
the  sanctuary.     The  acts  of  virtue  upon  which  they 


76  THE  SEVENTH  HOMILY  ON 

built  their  claim  to  the  flavour  of  heaven,  having  been 
undertaken  from  the  sordid  motive  of  gaining  human 
esteem  or  worldly  riches,  were  then  found  to  have  re- 
ceived their  reward  in  the  applause  of  men,  or  the 
temporal  prosperity  that  had  attended  their  mortal  ex- 
istence. But  their  imaginary  virtues  were  not  admit- 
ted as  affording  any  title  to  eternal  happiness,  because 
they  wanted  that  purity  of  intention,  and  were  not 
done  from  that  sincere  love  of  God  which  alone  stamps 
our  actions  with  real  excellence,  enrolls  them  in  the 
rank  of  real  virtues,  and  renders  them  deserving  of 
eternal  life.  On  the  otherhand,  when  the  false  con- 
science under  which  the  carnal-minded  Jew  had  acted, 
was  removed,  and  the  divine  law  appeared  to  him,  not 
as  interpreted  according  to  the  suggestions  of  self- 
love,  but  agreeably  to  the  dictates  of  eternal  truth  and 
justice,  the  violations  of  duty  in  which  he  had  lived 
without  scruple  would  overwhelm  him  with  confusion, 
and  prove  his  eternal  condemnation.  Such  was  the 
state  of  the  carnal-minded  Jew,  who  looked  no  far- 
ther than  the  letter  of  the  divine  law. 

Before  I  contrast  with  his  conduct  the  character  of 
the  spiritual  Jew,  or  real  child  of  Abraham  and  faith- 
ful servant  of  God,  I  conjure  you,  my  beloved  breth- 
ren, to  give  me  your  most  serious  attention  while  I 
point  out  to  you  a  certain  description  of  Christians, 
whose  condition  in  many  respects  resemibles  that  of  the 
carnal-minded  Jews.  I  mean  those  whose  lives  are 
under  the  influence  of  the  fatal  vice  of  lukewarmness 
or  tepidity.  This  vice  is  a  rock  upon  which  thou- 
sands of  unhappy  mortals  are  shipwrecked,  whose 
lives  are  unstained  with  any  very  gross  crimes,  and 
consequently  appear  virtuous  and  edifying  in  the  eyes 
of  the  world.  Almighty  God  declares  that  he  will 
not  accept  of  a  divided  heart.  Our  whole  being,  both 
soul  and  body,  belongs  to  him  upon  the  most  just  of 
titles,  and  he  therefore  requires  that  our  whole  being 
should  be  faithfully  dedicated   to  his  service.     The 


THE  BOOK  OP  TOBIAS.  77 

lukewarm  or  tepid  Christian,  is  sensible  indeed  that 
he  is  placed  in  this  world  to  serve  God,  and  knows 
that  if  he  does  not  serve  him  he  must  be  miserable 
for  eternity.  Whatever,  therefore,  appears  to  him  to 
be  a  duty  of  strict  obligation,  he  carefully  performs, 
and  as  carefully  avoids  whatever  appears  to  him  in  the 
shape  of  a  mortal  sin.  Further  than  this  he  goes  not-, 
but  flatters  himself  that  he  shall  thus  be  enabled  to  de- 
part this  life  in  a  state  of  grace,  and  escape  the  tor- 
ments of  hell.  A  fear  of  these  torments,  and  not  a 
sincere  love  of  God  or  an  ardent  desire  of  eternal  life, 
is  the  motive  upon  which  he  acts,  both  in  abstaining 
from  certain  grievous  crimes,  and  in  discharging  cer- 
tain duties.  As  to  heaven,  it  is  seldom  the  object  of 
his  thoughts,  much  less  of  his  affections.  He  endea- 
vours to  link  together  the  service  of  God  and  of  the 
world;  he  indulges  self-love  in  every  thing  that  wears 
not  the  outward  appearance  of  a  mortal  sin;  but  in  or- 
der to  pursue  this  indulgence  without  disquiet  or  re- 
morse, too  often  puts  a  false  interpretation  upon  the 
law  of  God,  and  frames  to  himself  a  false  conscience, 
under  cover  of  which  he  indulges  in  practices  direct- 
ly opposite  to  the  divine  commandments.  As  mortal 
sin  is  the  only  object  which  the  lukewarm  Christian 
dreads,  he  looks  upon  all  those  faults  which  he  either 
knows  or  imagines  to  be  venial,  as  of  little  conse- 
quence, and  as  being  not  at  all  dangerous.  For  exam- 
ple, knowing  that  it  is  a  duty  of  strict  obligation  to  as- 
sist on  Sundays  at  the  adorable  sacrifice  of  the  mass, 
he  would  not  for  the  world  absent  himself  from  at- 
tending on  that  important  duty.  But  as  to  the  other 
duties  of  the  Sunday,  such  as  the  being  present  during 
the  sermon,  and  instructions  at  catechism,  the  attend- 
ance at  the  evening  service  of  the  Church,  the  instruc- 
tion and  spiritual  welfare  of  his  children  and  family; 
these  he  considers  as  matters  of  no  great  consequence, 
and  as  inclination  or  company  suggests  to  him,  omits 
them  either  entirely  or  in  part.  He  makes  no  scruple 
7* 


78  THE  SEVENTH  HOMILY  ON 

of  coming  late  to  the  house  of  God,  and  thinks  noth- 
ing of  the  disrespect  which  by  such  conduct  he  shews 
to  the  l^eity,  and  the  disedifying  example  which  he 
sets  to  his  neighbour.  He  suffers  any  trifling  excuse 
of  business,  company,  or  amusement,  to  put  by  the 
important  duty  of  prayer,  and  the  frequenting  of  the 
sacraments  at  the  regular  times.  In  fine,  the  duties 
which  he  does  outwardly  discharge,  his  acts  of  vir- 
tue, his  prayers,  his  confessions  and  communions,  are 
undertaken  from  such  defective  motives,  so  void  of  a 
pure  intention,  and  performed  in  so  cold,  so  negligent, 
and  so  distracted  a  manner,  that  the  merit  of  them,  if 
it  be  not  totally  destroyed,  is  at  least  considerably  di- 
minished. Divine  grace  is  every  day  weakened,  and 
the  love  of  God,  liUe  a  fire  that  wants  a  supply  of 
fuel,  gradually  dies  away  in  Ins  soul.  Tlius  the  luke- 
warm Christian  is  constantly  exposed  to  fall  a  prey  to 
the  snares  of  his  spiritual  enemies.  Sometimes  in- 
deed he  feels  himself  checked  by  the  reproaches  of 
his  conscience,  and  invited  by  the  inspirations  of 
grace,  to  greater  fervour  in  the  service  of  God.  But 
being  unaccustomed  to  any  great  labour  or  exertion  in 
the  path  of  virtue,  he  frames  to  himself  a  thousand 
difficulties  in  the  way  of  perfection.  At  the  same 
time  he  fondly  persuades  himself,  that  such  labour  and 
exertion  are  not  of  strict  obligation,  and  after  a  iew 
weak  eflbrts  to  sliake  off  the  slothful  languor  that  op- 
presses his  soul,  he  sinks  still  deeper  in  his  habits  of 
coldness  and  tepidity  in  the  divine  service.  Add  to 
this,  that  the  lukewarm  Christian,  being  under  the  gui- 
dance of  a  false  conscience,  framed  according  to  the 
suggestions  of  a  mistaken  self-love,  often  imagines 
those  transgressions  of  the  divine  law  to  be  only  ve- 
nial, which  are  in  fact  grievous  violations  of  duty;  and 
thus,  like  the  carnal-minded  Jews,  lives  without  re- 
morse in  the  habit  of  mortal  sin,  and  dies  in  the  same 
dreadful  state.  Foolishly  relying  upon  certain  exte- 
rior good  works,  he  fancies  himself  rich  in  merit  for 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  79 

eternal  life;  till  appearing  before  the  judgment-seat  of 
God,  he  linds  himself  poor  and  blind,  and  wretched, 
and  miserable,  and  naked.  Such,  my  beloved  breth- 
ren, is'the  state  of  the  lukewarm  Christian.  Can  any 
situation  be  more  truly  deplorable,  or  more  dangerous 
than  his?  No,  believe  me,  there  is  no  vice  more  dis- 
gusting in  the  sight  of  God,  nor  more  dangerous  to 
the  soul,  than  lukewarmncss  or  tepidity.  Or,  if  you  will 
not  believe  me,  believe  the  declarations  of  the  Al- 
mighty himself,  whot  bus  addresses  the  te])id  Christian: 
Apoc.  iii.  14,  "1  would  that  thou  wert  either  cold  or 
hot;  but  because  thou  art  lukewarm,  and  neither  cold 
nor  hot,  I  will  begin  to  vomit  thee  out  of  my  mouth: 
because  thou  sayest,  I  am  rich  and^made  wealthy,  and 
have  need  of  nothing;  and  thou  knowest  not  that  thou 
art  wretched,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  miserable." 
Miserable  indeed  is  the  lukewarm  Christian,  doubly 
miserable,  because  he  is  insensible  of  his  wretched 
condition,  and  the  danger  that  attends  it.  Most  earn- 
estly then,  do  I  conjure  you,  my  beloved  brethren,  to 
shun  this  fatal  snare  for  your  virtue,  by  animating 
yourselves  to  fervour  in  the  divine  service,  and  mak- 
ing the  glory  of  God  the  end  of  all  your  actions.  That 
you  may  never  througli  ignorance  or  a  false  con- 
science trangress  the  bounds  of  duty  prescribed  by 
the  divine  law,  do  not  rest  contented  with  having  once 
learned  the  obligations  of  religion  from  your  cate- 
chism or  the  instructions  of  your  pastor.  Make  the 
study  of  religion  a  daily  practice  during  the  whole 
course  of  your  lives.  Seek  instruction,  by  reading 
each  day  some  pious  book,  and  by  diligently  attend- 
ing at  the  whole  of  divine  service  on  Sundays  and 
holydays.  In  each  action  of  your  lives,  have  in  view 
the  noble  end  of  your  being,  and  direct  every  circum- 
stance of  your  existence  to  the  attainment  of  that 
great  end,  carefully  practising  the  advice  of  St.  Paul: 
"All  things  ^vhatsoever  ye  do  in  word  or  in  work,  do 
all  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  by  uniting  the  9c- 


•80  THE  SEVENTH  HOMILY  OX 

tions  and  sufFerings  of  your  lives  to  the  merits  of  his 
death  and  passion,  and  seeking  in  all  things  the  glory 
of  your  heavenly  Father."  Let  the  maxims  of  the 
divine  law  be  the  rule  not  only  of  your  actions  but  of 
your  affections,  and  the  desires  of  your  hearts;  for  in 
the  due  regulation  of  these.  Christian  perfection  and 
sanctity  principally  consist.  Lastly,  sensible  of  your 
weakness  and  corruption,  apply  to  the  throne  of  grace 
for  strength  from  above,  by  a  diligent  use  of  the 
means  of  salvation,  prayer  and  the  holy  sacraments. 
Let  neither  sloth  nor  business,  neither  company  nor 
amusement,  nor  the  evil  example  of  tepid  and  un- 
grateful Christians,  prevail  upon  you  to  omit  the  regu- 
lar discharge  of  these  important  duties.  By  faithful- 
ly practising  the  above  directions,  you  will  daily  ad- 
vance towards  Christian  perfection.  Like  the  spiitual 
Israelites,  of  whom  the  holy  Tobias  is  so  illustrious 
an  example,  you  will  walk  not  only  with  fidelity,  but 
with  delight,  in  all  the  commandments  of  God,  fixing 
your  heart  and  affections  on  the  happiness  of  a  future 
state,  and  embracing  with  cheerfulness  whatever  the 
hand  of  divine  Providence  shall  appoint  for  you  in 
your  present  pilgrimage.  Oil!  my  beloved  bretfiren, 
what  sweet  consolations  will  this  your  fidelity  during 
life  diffuse  around  your  bed  of  sickness  and  of  death. 
Enjoying,  in  the  tranquillity  of  a  good  conscience,  a 
foretaste  of  that  happiness  which  is  soon  to  be  your 
everlasting  recompense,  the  near  prospect  of  eternity 
will  fill  your  hearts  with  joy.  Exulting  with  the 
Apostle,  you  will  cry  out:  "  I  have  fought  the  good 
fight,  I  have  kept  the  true  faith,  I  have  finished  my 
course;  and  now  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of 
glory,  which  the  Lord,  the  just  Judge  will  render  un- 
to me."    2  Tim.  iv.  8. 


THE  BOOK  OF   TOBIAS.  81 


EiaHTH  HOMII.Y. 


Chap.  11.  ver.  22.     At   these  words,  his  wife  being  angry,  an- 
swered: It  is  evident  thy  hope  is  come  to  nothing,  and  thy  alms 

now  appear 23.  And  with  these,  and  other  such  like  words, 

she  upbraided  him. 

The  subject  of  my  last  instruction  must  have  con- 
vinced you,  my  beloved  brethren,  that  the  virtues  of 
Tobias  were  of  no  ordinary  cast,  but  stamped  with  a 
very  high  degree  of  perfection.     Anxious  that  all  un- 
der his  care  should  serve  God  with  the  same  fidelity 
as  himself,  he  trained  his  son  in  the  path  of  virtue,  anfl 
recalled  to  the  mind  of  his  wife  the  principles  of  the 
divine  law,  that  no  temptation,  arising  either  from  the 
poverty  of  their  circumstances,  or  the  persuasions  of 
others  less  virtuous  than  himself,  might  induce  her 
to  transgress  the  bounds  of  justice.  "It  is  not  lawful," 
said  this  holy  man,  "for  us  either  to  eat  or  to  touch 
any  thing  that  comelh  by  theft."     Anna,  whose  cha- 
racter was  very  different  from  that  of  her  husband, 
had,  by  mixing  Avith  the  world,  imbibed  a  worldly 
spirit.     Instead  of  receiving  with  gratitude  the  well- 
meant  and  religious  admonition  of  her  husband,  she 
gave  vent  to  passion  in  bitter  reproaches,  which  not 
only  wounded  the  feelings  of  Tobias,  but  also  struck 
at  the  wisdom  of  divine  Providence,  and  manifested  a 
great  want  of  confidence  in  the  Almighty,  as  well  as 
a  miserable  deficiency  of  those  religious  principles 
that  guided  and  consoled  the  heart  of  her  husband. 
To  his  kind  admonition  she  replied  with  sneers:     "It 
well  becomes  you  to  entertain  such  scrupulous  nicety 
respecting  the  property  of  others,  after  having  foolish- 
ly given  away  your  own.  By  your  indiscreet  liberality 
you  have  dissipated  your  own  fortune,  and  reduced 
your  family  to  want.     Where  is  now  the  fruit  of  your 


82  THE  EIGHTH  HOMILY  ON 

past  charities?  Is  it  thus  that  the  Providence  of  which 
you  have  spoken  with  so  much  confidence,  rewards 
your  services?  You  will  know  for  the  future  what  re- 
liance to  place  upon  its  care  and  protection."  In  such 
impious  terms  as  these  did  Anna  reproach  her  husband, 
not  only  once  but  frequently,  so  little  had  she  profited 
by  his  holy  advice  and  example.  Her  insulting  and 
blasphemous  language  was  not  the  effect  of  a  mere 
momentary  and  sudden  impulse  of  anger:  it  proceeded 
from  a  want  of  divine  faith,  and  from  her  having  adop- 
ted the  maxims  of  those  carnal-minded  Jews  among 
whom  she  lived;  and  like  whom  she  was  willing  to 
serve  God,  so  long  as  his  service  did  not  call  for  the 
sacrifice  of  any  humour,  inclination,  or  worldly  inter- 
est. This  life  seems  to  have  been  the  only  object  of 
her  solicitude,  and  to  provide  for  its  wants  the  only 
motive  upon  which  she  laboured  for  the  support  of 
of  her  family,  and  not  any  thought  or  desire  of  ob- 
taining a  reward  in  the  life  to  come.  Oh!  how  dange- 
rous a  thing  it  is  to  love  the  company  of  worldlings, 
and  to  listen  to  their  discourse.  Their  maxims,  always 
i'avourable  to  self-love  and  the  indulgence  of  corrupt 
nature,  slide  imperceptibly  into  the  heart,  and  soon 
undermine  the  principles  of  religion  and  virtue.  Faith 
becomes  weak;  tlie  truths  which  it  delivers,  by  degrees, 
lose  their  influence;  and  the  soul,  almost  without  being 
sensible  of  it,  adopts  the  sentiments  of  the  world  as 
the  only  rule  of  its  affections,  its  desires,  and  its  ac- 
tions. Such,  unfortunately,  was  the  effect  which  too 
free  an  intercourse  with  the  world  had  upon  the  con- 
duct of  Anna,  the  wife  of  Tobias.  The  principles  of 
virtue  implanted  in  her  breast  by  the  pious  discourse 
and  holy  example  of  her  husband,  were  gradually 
weakened,  and  at  length  almost  entirely  rooted  out. 
But  this  will  be  less  a  subject  of  astonishment  to  us, 
when  we  reflect  that  the  wife  of  Job,  many  ages  be- 
fore, had  furnished  a  similar  example  of  the  danger  of 
communicating  with  the  wicked.    The  reproaches  and 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  85 

insults  which  holy  Job  met  with  from  his  wife  and 
pretended  friends,  were  conveyed  in  nearly  the  same 
impious  language  with  which  Tobias  under  his  atiiic- 
tions  was  assailed  by  his  wife. 

It  is  then  necessary  for  me,  my  beloved  brethren, 
after  these  examples,  to  unfold  to  you  the  danger  of 
evil  company,  and  how  strict  an  obligation  you  are 
under  of  avoiding  it?  Would  to  God  that  it  were  not 
necessary  for  me  to  enter  upon  this  subject!  But  when 
I  reflect  upon  the  number  of  young  persons,  who,  not- 
withstanding their  early  instruction  in  piety  and  reli- 
gion, have  been  seduced  from  the  path  of  virtue,  live 
in  a  habit  of  sin,  and  walk  in  the  road  that  leads  to 
eternal  damnation,  and  who  owe  their  misfortune  to 
no  other  cause  than  mixing  with  the  company  of  the 
wicked,  1  feel  it  a  duty  which  I  owe  to  you  and  to  my 
own  conscience,  to  warn  you  who  now  hear  me  of 
this  fatal  source  of  the  destruction  of  souls.  It  is  a 
most  lamentable  truth,  that  the  good  and  edifying  ex- 
ample of  God's  faithful  servants,  the  zealous  labours 
of  the  Apostles  and  their  successors  in  the  sacred 
ministry,  and  the  sacraments  and  sacrifice  of  the 
Church,  joined  to  the  merits  of  the  death  and  passion 
of  Christ  Jesus,  do  not  procure  the  salvation  of  half 
so  many  souls  as  is  the  number  of  those  who  are  eter- 
nally ruined  by  the  corrupt  example  of  the  wicked. 
The  Saviour  of  the  world  has  indeed  pronounced  the 
severest  of  woes  against  those  who  by  their  scanda- 
lous lives  draw  others  into  sin,  and  lead  them  in  the 
road  to  perdition.  Yet  he  has  also  declared,  that  it  is 
necessary  that  scandals  sliould  come;  that  there  will 
always  be  numbers  of  our  unhappy  fellow-creatures, 
who,  not  content  with  wilfully  consenting  to  their  own 
damnation,  will  act  as  powerful  agents  of  the  devil,  in 
corrupting  the  well-disposed,  in  withdrawing  them 
from  the  practice  of  virtue,  and  dragging  them  to 
everlasting  misery.  Well  does  the  Apostle  St  Paul 
style  all  such  Christians  "enemies   of  the   cross   of 


84  THE    EIGHTH  HOMILY  ON 

Christ."  The  Son  of  God  came  down  from  heaven 
to  save  souls;  his  labours,  his  preachings,  his  miracles, 
his  suiferings,  and  his  death,  v^ere  all  directed  to  the 
salvation  of  souls.  But  the  scandalous  Christian,  he, 
who  bearing  the  name  of  a  follower  of  Christ,  lives 
in  the  violation  of  the  precepts  of  the  Gospel,  in  the 
neglect  of  his  religious  duties,  and  the  habit  of  any 
public  sin,  makes  void  the  death  and  passion  of  Jesus 
Christ,  destroys  the  very  end  of  his  coming  among 
men,  and,  by  his  evil  example  and  discourse,  proves 
the  eternal  damnation  of  those  precious  souls  for  whose 
salvation  the  Son  of  God  shed  his  blood  upon  a  cross. 
My  heart,  my  beloved  brethren,  is  ready  to  burst  with 
grief;  my  blood  chills  within  my  veins,  when  I  look  at 
and  consider  the  number  of  souls  that  owe  their  dam- 
nation to  no  other  cause,  originally,  than  the  seduction 
of  evil  company.  You  would  fly  with  horror  from 
the  wretch  whom  you  knew  to  have  been  but  once 
guilty  of  the  crime  of  taking  away  the  corporal  life  of 
a  fellow-creature;  and  can  you  without  fear  associate 
with  those  far  more  terrible  murderers  who  are  daily 
and  hourly  guilty  of  murdering  the  souls  of  others,  by 
leading  them,  especially  young  persons,  into  mortal 
sin,  teaching  them  habits  of  vice,  and  conducting  them 
the  first  steps  in  the  road  to  perdition.'' 

I  do  not  now  ask  you  what  will  be  the  sentiments 
of  your  soul,  if,  at  the  day  of  God's  final  judgments 
upon  sinners,  some  unhappy  young  persons  who  have 
been  seduced  by  your  evil  example  from  the  way  of 
virtue,  shall  point  to  you  as  the  authors  of  their  de- 
struction. But,  I  ask  you,  where  can  you  in  reason 
expect  that  your  station  at  that  day  will  be,  if  during 
life  you  have  been  linked  in  bonds  of  friendship  with 
the  worst  of  God's  enemies;  with  those,  who  by  their 
irreligious  lives  and  wicked  example  have  brought  a 
scandal  upon  religion,  made  void  the  blood  of  Jesus, 
and  proved  the  eternal  destruction  of  souls.''  Will  you 
not  then  be  classed  with  the  workers  of  iniquity,  and 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  85 

with  them  receive  your  portion  in  everlasting  misery? 
For,  are  you  not  guilty  of  offering  a  most  heinous  in- 
sult to  the  God  of  heaven,  your  future  Judge,  if  you 
associate  with  those  who  trample  his  divine  law  under 
their  feet?  Do  you  not  thus  involve  yourselves  both 
in  their  present  enmity  to  God,  and  in  the  danger  of 
sharing  in  their  future  and  everlasting  exclusion  from 
presence?  When  Josaphat,  king  of  Judah,  had,  for 
motives  of  state  policy,  contracted  an  alliance  with 
the  impious  Achab,  king  of  Israel,  he  was  severely 
condemned  by  Almighty  God  for  such  a  connexion. 
A  prophet  was  commissioned  on  the  part  of  the  iNiost 
High,  to  admonish  and  reprove  him  in  these  terms: 
"  You  assist  the  wicked,  and  associate  with  those  who 
hate  God,  on  which  account  you  deserve  to' be  rebuk- 
ed."    2  Kings,  xix. 

To  love  God  with  our  w^hole  heart,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  be  fond  of  the  society  of  those  who  are  hour- 
1}'  insulting  him  by  their  crimes,  are  things  totally  ir- 
reconcileable  with  each  other.  However  we  may 
flatter  ourselves  that  we  are  in  no  danger  of  becom- 
ing corrupted  by  the  company  of  the  wicked,  the 
dreadful  experience  of  thousands  that  have  gone  be- 
fore us  ought  to  convince  us,  that  it  is  impossible  to 
associate  any  long  time  with  the  wicked  without  adopt- 
ing their  manners.  There  is  nothing  wiiich  has  so 
much  influence  upon  the  conduct  of  mankind  as  ex- 
ample. What  powerful  eli'ects  does  the  virtuous  lite 
of  but  one  faithful  servant  of  God  produce  upon 
those  who  are  witnesses  of  it !  How  many  sinners 
are  by  it  reclaimed  from  vice,  how  many  that  waver 
are  confirmed,  how  many  just  animated  to  persever- 
ance! But,  if  this  be  the  effect  of  the  lives  of  the 
good,  how  much  more  weighty  must  be  the  influence 
of  the  conduct  of  the  wicked,  who  by  their  example 
invite  us  to  the  indulgence  of  every  thing  that  is 
agreeable  to  corrupt  nature  and  a  vicious  self-love! 
There  cannot  then,  most  certainly,  be  a  more  danger- 
8 


86  EIGHTH  HOMILY  ON 

ous  snare  for  oi;r  virtue,  nor  consequently  a  more 
certain  sign  of  its  speedy  future  destruction,  tlian  to 
frequent  evil  company  Weak  and  corrupt  of  our- 
selves, we  are  unable,  without  the  aid  of  divine  grace, 
to  do  any  thing  deserving  of  eternal  life.  This  grace 
the  Almighty  jjromises  to  us  so  long  as  we  walk  be- 
fore him  with  an  humble  fear  of  oti'ending  hiin,  and 
carefully  shun  all  dangerous  occasions  of  sin.  But  to 
court  danger  and  temptation,  is  to  forfeit  all  clann  to 
the  divine  protection,  leave  ourselves  unarmed  in  the 
hour  of  danger,  and  wilfully  consent  to  our  ruin. — 
Now,  among  all  the  dangers  and  temptations  to  which 
we  are  opposed,  there  is  not  any  one  so  great  as  tliat 
which  arises  from  the  company  of  the  wicked.  As 
well  might  you  expect  to  live  in  the  midst  of  persons 
infected  with. the  plague  and  not  catch  their  disorder, 
as  to  associate  with  evil  company  and  at  the  same 
time  not  adopt  their  vices.  "Can  a  man  touch  pitch 
without  being  defiled  with  it?"  says  the  wise  man. — 
Ac,  nor  can  we  frequent  evil  company  and  escape  the 
contagion  of  their  example.  You  may,  perhajjs,  per- 
suade yourselves,  that  you  love  their  persons  and  not 
their  faults;  that  you  will  take  care  not  to  join  in  their 
excesses,  nor  imitate  their  conduct.  Fatal  delusion! 
By  being  frequently  in  the  company  of  the  wicked 
you  will  become  habituated  to  scenes  of  vice,  and 
the  constant  hearing  and  seeing  of  what  is  contrary 
to  decency  and  virtue  will  soon  wear  otf  that  horror 
of  sin  which  at  present  proves  your  security.  Your 
virtue  thus  stripped  of  its  guard,  will  be  lel't  open  and 
defenceless;  the  poison  of  evil  example  \vill  work 
its  way  insensibly  into  the  heart;  you  will,  almost 
without  perceiving  it,  adopt  the  sentiments  and  ac- 
tions of  your  associates;  and,  at  length  throwing  off 
all  restraint,  run  headlong  with  them  the  career  of  in- 
iquity So  sensible  of  this  danger  were  the  saints  of 
God,  both  in  the  old  and  the  new  law,  that  though 
they  had  spent  years  in  the  faithful  service  of  God, 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS  87 

and  were  confirmad  in  long  habits  of  virtue,  they 
carefully  shunned  tlie  society  of  the  wicked,  lest,  by 
criminally  running  into  danger,  they  should  provoke 
God  to  withdraw  his  supporting  grace,  and  leave 
them  a  prey  to  the  snares  of  evil  company.  If  such 
was  the  conduct  of  the  Saints,  wlio  were  infinitely 
stronger  than  ourselves,  shall  ice  dare  to  court  the 
friendship  of  sinners,  and  think  ourselves  safe?  Are 
not  we,  at  kast,  under  an  equal  obligation  of  flying 
from  this  most  dangerous  of  all  tlie  occasions  of  sin? 
Yes,  my  beloved  brethren,  this  obligation  is  so  strict 
and  so  important,  that  the  word  of  God  delivers  it  in 
various  passages,  and  in  the  strongest  terms.  "My 
son,"'  says  the  wise  man,  "if  sinners  shall  flatter  thee 
with  their  caresses,  consent  not  to  them:  walk  not 
thou  with  them,  refrain  thy  foot  from  their  paths," 
Prov.  i.  10,  15.  "We  charge  you,"  cries  out  the 
Apostle  St.  Paul,  "in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  that  you  withdraw  yourselves  from  every  bro- 
ther that  walketh  disorderly."  2  Thess.  iii.  6.  "If 
any  man  that  is  called  a  brother  be  a  fornicator  or  a 
drunkard,  with  such  a  one  do  not  even  eat."  1  Cor. 
v.  "{•  vil  communication  corrupts  good  manners." — 
1  Cor.  XV.  Before  the  Hebrews  entered  the  land  of 
Canaan,  Almighty  God  strictly  charged  them  not  to 
contract  any  friendship  or  alliance  with  the  inhabitants 
of  that  idolatrous  country,  lest  they  should  be  cor- 
rupted by  their  evil  example.  But  the  Jews,  forget- 
ful of  the  divine  precept,  and  following  their  own 
evil  inclinations,  mixed  with  the  idolaters,  learned 
their  evil  ways,  and  forsook  the  worship  of  their  true 
God.  It  was  through  a  similar  neglect  of  this  impor- 
tant precept  of  flying  evil  company,  that  Solomon, 
after  many  years  spent  in  the  service  of  God,  lost  the 
grace  of  heaven,  and  miserably  abandoned  himself  to 
shameful  lusts  and  idolatry.  If  other  examples  vs'ere 
necessary  to  impress  upon  your  minds  a  conviction  of 
the  obligation  under  which  you  are,  of  avoiding  evil 


88  EIGHTH  HOMILY  ON 

company,  and  of  the  fatal  consequences  attendant  up- 
on a  neglect  of  this  obligation,  I  could  cite  to  you  that 
of  the  Apostle  St.  Peter,  the  great  St.  Augustine,  and 
thousands  of  others,  who  owed  their  misfortunes  to 
this  fatal  source  of  sin,  evil  company.  But  I  would 
rather  invite  you  to  turn  your  eyes  to  the  numerous 
living  examples  of  the  fatal  effects  of  bad  company. 
If  you  yourselves  have  happily  escaped  its  snares,  is 
there  no  one  among  your  friends  or  acquaintance  who 
once  walked  in  the  way  of  virtue,  till  entering  into 
the  company  of  the  wicked,  he  lost  his  innocence, 
and  became  corrupted  like  them.  Look  at  the  num- 
bers of  young  persons  living  in  the  dreadful  habits  of 
cursing,  drunkenness,  and  impurity,  and  be  convinced 
how  fatal  an  engine  of  destruction  is  the  company  of 
the  wicked,  and  how  strictly  every  Christian  is  bound 
to  shun  it!  Uh!  that  all  parents  and  masters  of  fami- 
lies who  now  hear  me,  sensible  of  the  obligation 
which  their  state  imposes  upon  them,  would  faithfully 
co-operate  with  me  in  warning  the  tender  souls  en- 
trusted to  them  of  this  fatal  snare,  and  watch  over 
them  to  preserve  them  from  the  society  of  the  wicked! 
It  is  too  often  owing  to  a  criminal  neglect  of  parents 
and  persons  in  authority,  in  not  watching  with  suffi- 
cient caution  over  the  conduct  of  their  children,  ap- 
prentices and  servants,  that  the  seeds  of  vice  are 
sown  by  evil  companions  in  the  minds  of  young  per- 
sons; and  habits  are  formed  which  they  never  after- 
wards break  off.  Be  then  vigilant  in  the  discharge  of 
your  duty;  banish  from  your  houses  those  whose  lives 
are  scandalous,  and  whose  vicious  example  may  infect 
the  tender  souls  under  your  care.  Let  all  who  be- 
long to  you  be  sensible  that  it  is  the  first  wish  of 
your  heart  to  see  them  faithful  in  the  service  of  God, 
and  to  aid  them  in  working  out  their  eternal  salvation. 
Thus  will  you  most  effectually  contribute  to  their 
sanctification,  and  at  the  same  time  promote  your  own 
and  their  everlasting  welfare. 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  89 

In  the  bowels  of  the  mercy  of  Christ  Jesus  I  now 
address  you,  the  younger  part  of  my  audience,  who 
are  more  immediately  exposed  to  the  danger  against 
which  I  have  this  day   warned  you.     I  conjure  you 
ever  to  remember  your  own  weakness  and  to  tremble, 
lest  by  connecting  yourselves  with  the  wicked  you 
should  forfeit  the  divine  protection,  and  learn  their 
evil  ways.     If  jou  have  already  had  the  misfortune  to 
listen  to  their  seductions,  and  leave  the  path  of  virtue, 
break  asunder  the  bonds  which  link  you  to  the  wick- 
ed, and  no  more  frequent  their  society,  or  the  places 
to  which  they  resort.     It  is  hard,  perhaps  you  will 
tell  me,  to  part  from  those  whom  you  call  your  friends. 
But  will  it  be  easier  to  go  with  them  into  everlasting 
flames?     Is  there  any  thing  that  ought  to  be  preferred 
to  your  eternal  happiness?     Has  not  your  licdeemer 
declared,  that  we  must  cheerfully  renounce  whatever 
would  prove  an  obstacle  in  our  way  to  heaven,  even 
if  it  be  as  dear  to  us  as  a  hand  or  an  eye.  With  what 
joy  did  the  martyrs  resign  their  estates,  their  friends, 
and  even  their  blood,  for  the  gaining  of  heaven;  and 
how  glorious  is  the  crown  that  now  recompenses  their 
sacrifice!     Imitate  their  noble  resolution;  trample  the 
world  under  your  feet,  renounce  the  company  of  sin- 
ners, and  labour  to  repair  {)ast  scandals,  setting  be- 
fore your  eyes  the  awful  scene  of  the  last  judgment, 
in  which  your  station  will  depend  principally  upon 
the  choice  that  you  now  make  of  your  friends  and 
companions.    Oh!  what  sweet  tranquillity  will  fill  your 
souls  when  you  have  once  regained  the  path  of  vir- 
tue!    ^^  ith  what  confidence  will  you  be  enabled  to 
stand  before  your  Judge  in  the  hour  of  death,  and  in 
the  day  of  judgment!     The  labour  is  short,   the  re- 
compense is  eternal. 

If  you  have  hitherto  escaped  the  seductions  of  evil 

company,  be  more  than  ever  on  your  guard  against 

this  dangerous  snare  for  your  virtue.     Be  extremely 

cautious  in  the  choice  of  your  companions,  carefully 

8* 


90  EIGHTH  HOMILY  ON 

shunning  the  society  of  the  drunkard,  the  impure,  the 
swearer,  the  detracter,  and  the  blasphemer.  Seek  the 
friendship  of  those  who  live  up  to  the  faith  which  you 
profess;  by  whose  good  example  you  may  be  aided 
and  encouraged  in  the  path  of  virtue,  and  in  whose 
happy  company  you  may  be  found  at  the  right-hand 
of  your  Saviour,  when  he  shall  welcome  his  faithful 
servants  to  a  participation  of  his  glory. 


THE  BOOK  OF   TOBIAS.  91 


HXNTH  noTaiiMY. 


Chap.  III.  ver.  1.  Then  Tobias  sighed,  and  began  to  pray  with 
tears 2.  Sa3'ing,  Thou  art  just,  0  Lord,  and  all  thy  judg- 
ments are  just,  and  all  thy  ways  are  mercy,  and  truth,  and  jugd- 
ment 3.  And  now,  O  Lord,  think  of  me,  and  take  not  re- 
venge of  my  sins,  neither  remember  my  offences,  nor  those  of 

my  parents 4.  For  we  have  not  obeyed  thy  commandments, 

and  therefore  are  delivered  to  spoil,  and  to  captivity,  and  deaih, 
and  are  made   a  fable  and  a  reproach  to  all  nations  amongst 

which  thou  hast  scattered  us 5.  And  now,  O  Lord,  great  are 

thy  judgments,  because  we  have  not  done  according  to  thy  pre- 
cepts, and  have  not  walked  sincerely  before  thee 6.  And  now, 

O  Lord,  do  with  me  according  to  thy  will,  and  command  my 
spirt  to  be  received  in  peace:  for  it  is  better  for  me  to  die  than 
to  live. 

Of  all  the  trials  with  which  the  hand  of  divine  Pro- 
vidence visited  the  good  Tobias  for  the  perfection  of 
his  virtue,  none  seems  so  deeply  to  have  atfected  him 
as  the  irreligious  language  and  unafFeotionate  conduct 
of  his  wife.  Struck  with  blindness,  he  submitted 
without  murmuring  to  this  severe  affliction;  and  when 
reviled  by  his  relations  and  pretended  friends,  he  an- 
swered their  insulting  railleries  with  meekness,  and 
kindly  admonished  them  of  their  duty.  But  when  he 
heard  the  person  whom  of  all  others  he  most  tenderly 
loved,  and  from  whom  he  expected  consolation  under 
his  sufferings,  join  with  the  impious  followers  of  the 
world  in  ridiculing  his  piety,  and  attacking  the  good- 
ness and  justice  of  God's  providence,  his  heart  could 
no  longer  withstand  the  emotions  of  grief.  He  made 
no  reply  to  the  insulting  reproaches  of  his  wife,  lest 
he  should  give  occasion  to  fresh  sallies  of  anger,  and 
be  forced  to  witness  another  effusion  of  impiety  from 
her,  who,  notwithstanding  his  edifying  example,  had 
imbibed  the  false  maxims  of  her  carnal-minded  ac- 
quaintance.   But  heaving  a  deep  sigh  from  a  breast 


92  NINTH   HOMILY    ON 

overwhelmed  with  gvief  and  affliction,  Tobias  had  re- 
couise  to  pra)'er  as  his  only  consolation  in  distress. 
Oh!  that  all  married  persons,  when  in  similar  circum- 
stances of  affliction,  when  sulFering  from  the  reproaches 
or  unbecoming"  language  of  the  partner  of  their  bed, 
instead  of  aggravating  their  uneasiness  by  a  return  of 
insulting  words  and  unchristian  behaviour,  would,  like 
the  holy  Tobias,  remain  silent  till  the  storm  is  past, 
secretly  offering  their  hearts  to  Almighty  God,  and 
imploring  light,  help,  and  consolation  from  above! 
How  many  fatal  quarrels  and  dissensions  would  thus 
be  prevented!  how  many  sources  of  uniiappiness  would 
be  dried  up!  how  seldom  would  peace  and  harmony  be 
driven  from  the  bosom  of  families!  Besides,  this 
humble  endeavour  to  p-reserve  that  agreement  which 
is  so  essential  to  the  happiness  of  married  persons, 
never  fails  to  bring  down  the  blessing  of  heaven  upon 
its  exertions;  and  the  prayers,  thus  offered  up  in  a 
spirit  of  meekness  and  charity,  prove  an  abundant 
source  of  grace  and  consolation  to  families. 

The  prayer  which  Tobias  poured  forth  in  his  afflic- 
tion, is  an  admirable  model  of  that  holy  exercise  to 
persons  in  all  states  and  conditions,  but  particularly -to 
those  who  are  suflfering  under  persecution  or  distress. 
He  begins  his  prayer  with  tlie  most  humble  acknowl- 
edgment of  the  wisdom  and  justice  of  divine  Provi- 
dence, and  the  inwaid  humility  of  his  soul  manifests 
itself  in  the  sighs  and  tears  which  accompany  the  ex- 
pression of  his  grief.  Prayer  is  an  homage  due  from 
man  to  his  Creator,  as  the  Supreme  and  !*overign 
Lord  of  the  Universe,  the  beginning  and  the  end  of 
all  things.  Man,  in  whatever  state  we  consider  him, 
is  strictly  bound  to  humble  himself  before  the  majesty 
of  God;  to  meditate  upon  the  works  of  his  infinite 
power,  wisdom,  and  goodness;  to  praise  and  thank  him 
for  his  blessings;  and  to  make  frequent  acts  or  outward 
expressions  of  the  love  of  his  Creator.  This  kind  of 
prayer  is  what  forms  the  uninterrupted  and  eternal  oc- 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  93 

cupation  of  the  blessed  in  heaven,  as  St.  John  informs 
us  in  the  Revelations.  At  one  time,  he  tells  us,  that 
he  saw  before  the  throne  of  God  four  and  twenty 
elders,  having  crowns  of  gold  upon  their  heads,  and 
with  them  four  living  creatures,  who  rested  not  day 
and  night,  but  incessantly  cried  out.  Holy,  Holy,  Holy, 
Lord  Grod  Almighty,  who  was,  and  who  is,  and  who 
is  to  come.  Then  falling  down  before  Him  who  is 
seated  on  the  throne,  and  casting  their  crowns  at  his 
feet,  as  a  confession  of  his  soverign  dominion,  and  of 
his  being  the  Author  of  their  happiness,  they  proclaim 
him  worthy  to  receive  honour  and  glory  and  power 
and  wisdom  and  strength  lor  ever  and  ever.  At  another 
time,  the  holy  Evangelist  beholds  millions  of  millions 
of  blessed  spirits  surrounding  the  throne  of  the  Lamb 
that  was  slain  for  the  sins  of  men,  and  singing  can- 
ticles of  joy  and  thanksgiving  to  him;  while  an  innu- 
merable multitude,  of  all  nations,  and  tribes,  and 
tongues,  standing  before  the  throne,  clothed  in  white 
robes,  and  holding  palms  in  their  hands,  cry  out  with 
a  loud  voice,  "Glory  be  to  our  God,  and  to  the  Lamb 
that  redeemed  us  by  his  blood."  Apoc.  iv.  4.,  v.  6. — 
Such,  my  beloved  brethren,  is  the  constant  and  only 
occupation  of  the  blessed  in  heaven.  The  great  work 
of  the  creation  of  the  universe,  and  tiie  still  more  in- 
comprehensible mystery  of  tlie  redemption  of  fallen 
man,  call  forth  the  incessant  and  eternal  praises  of  the 
angels  and  gloiified  S{)irits.  And  shall  we,  for  whom 
the  Almighty  thus  exerted  the  wonders  of  his  Omnipo- 
tence, remain  unmindful  of  his  goodness,  and  retuse 
him  the  tribute  of  our  adoration,  praise,  and  thanks- 
giving? Happy  indeed  are  we,  if,  grateful  for  his 
blessings,  we  pay  him  the  daily  homage  of  our  ptaise, 
and  thus  begin  upon  earth  that  employment  which  will 
hereafter  be  our  oiily  occupation  in  the  company  of 
the  blessed! 

But,  situated  as  we  are  in  this  world,  there  is  another 
kind  of  prayer,  of  still  stricter  obligation,  and  still 


94  NlN-rH  HOMILY  ON 

more  necessary  for  us,  and  more  closely  connected 
with  our  eternal  welfare;  1  mean  llie  prayer  of  sup- 
plication and  petition,  by  wiiich  we  apply  to  the  Deity, 
as  the  source  of  all  good,  for  help  from  above,  and 
for  the  light  and  grace  that  may  conduct  us  safe  to  our 
everlasting  happiness.  This  kind  of  prayer  was  al- 
Avays  necessary  for  man,  even  in  his  happy  state  of 
innocence  in  the  garden  of  Paradise;  because  prayer 
alone  could  secure  to  him  that  divine  favour  and  pro- 
tection which  were  to  preserve  him  faithful  in  his  al- 
legiance to  his  Creator,  and  firm  in  the  path  of  duty. 
But  since  the  disobedience  of  our  first  parents,  prayer 
is  become  of  infinitely  greater  obligation  and  necessi- 
ty Fallen  from  our  original  excelL^nce,  a  prey  to  ig- 
norance and  concupiscence,  and  surrounded  by  the 
most  artful  and  malicious  enemies,  who  at  every  step 
aie  planting  ti  snare  for  our  destruction,  we  are  of 
ourselves  totally  incapable  either  of  providing  for  our 
own  safety,  of  vanquishing  our  spiritual  enemies,  or  of 
attaining  to  the  great  end  of  our  being — the  favour  of 
God  here,  and.  the  eternal  enjoyment  of  him  hereafter. 
It  is  He  who  by  his  grace  must  work  in  us  both  to 
will  and  to  do  that  which  is  good;  on  him  we  depend 
for  light,  help,  and  strength,  for  present  safety  and 
future  happiness.  Ttiere  is  no  truth,  indeed,  more  re- 
volting to  our  loatural  pride  and  self-sufficiency  than 
this  gi-eat  secret  of  Christianity,  viz.  our  own  total  in- 
ability to  do  good.  But  at  the  same  time  there  is  no 
truth  the  knowledge  of  which  is  so  necessary  for  us, 
and  of  so  much  importance  in  a  spiritual  light.  "  V\  ith- 
out  me,"  says  the  divine  Founder  of  our  religion,  "ye 
can  nothing,"  John  xv.  5.;  and  his  inspired  Apostle 
assures  us,  that  without  grace  from  above  we  cannot 
so  much  as  pronounce  the  adorable  name  of  Jesus  in 
a  maimer  agreeable  to  God.  Thus  weak  and  destitute 
of  ourselves,  whither  shall  we  fly  for  refuge,  consola- 
tion, and  |)rotcction.'*  To  God,  on  the  wings  of  prayer. 
He  is  omnipotent,  and  therefore  can  help  us;  he  is  all- 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  95 

good,  and  therefore  will  not  refuse  to  his  children  the 
hlessings  which  they  ask  of  his  paternal  bount}'.  For, 
"if  you,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  to 
your  children,  how  much  more  will  your  Father  from 
heaven  give  the.  good  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him,'" 
Luke  xi.  1 3. 

Prayer  then  is  necessary,  because  of  our  total  de- 
pendence upon  the  divine  bounty  for  every  good  gift 
necessary  for  our  present  and  future  welfare.  But  this 
is  not  the  only  reason  why  we  are  bound  to  pray.  God, 
who  alone  can  satisfy  our 'Wants  and  necessities,  has 
been  pleased  to  appoint  prayer  as  the  ordinary  chan- 
nel for  communicating  his  graces  to  us.  Our  wants 
are  indeed  known  to  him  long  before  they  are  perceiv- 
ed and  felt  by  ourselves,  and  he  could,  without  our 
petitioning  him,  administer  the  help  of  which  we  stand 
in  need.  But  then  we  should  neither  have  that  thorough 
conviction  of  our  own  entire  dependence  upon  him, 
nor  that  sense  of  his  intiuite  goodness  and  love  towards 
us,  which,  during  our  piesent  state  of  trial,  are  neces- 
sary to  preserve  our  soul^  in  a  proper  degree  of  Chris- 
tian hope.  God,  therefore,  who  is  the  dispenser  of 
his  own  mercies,  and  cau  fix  what  conditions  he  plea- 
ses for  the  disLrihution  of  his  blessings,  has  ordained 
prayer  as  the  means  on  our  part  for  rendering  us  de- 
serving of  his  bounty.  "Ask  and  ye  shall  receive,  seek 
and  ye  shall  find,  knock  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto 
you.'"  Luke  xi.  9.  "Pray  and,  faint  not."  Luke 
xviii.  \.  ( 'h!  happy  necessity,  which  forces  us  to  a 
sweet  and  holv  iniercourse  with  our  Creator!  *  ■  appy 
obligation,  which  admits  us  into  the  secret  closet  of 
the  great  King  of  Heaven,  raises  us  among  the  princes 
of  his  celestial  court  near  to  the  throne  of  his  infinite 
majesty,  and  opens  to  us  the  full  hand  of  his  unbound- 
ed mercy!  If  any  earthly  sovereign  were  to  invite  us 
to  come  at  any  hour  into  his  presence,  and  lay  our  tem- 
poral necessities  before  him,  with  a  full  assurance  of 
lending  a  favourable  ear  to  our  requests,  and  corres- 


96  NINTH  HOMILY  ON 

ponding  with  our  petitions,  should  we  slight  the  invi- 
tation? Should  we  siitrer  ourselves  to  be  easily  prevail- 
ed upon  to  wave  our  claim  to  the  favour  and  protec- 
tion of  our  piince?  I  believe,  my  beloved  brethren, 
there  is  not  one  of  us,  who,  if  honoured  with  so  dis- 
tinguished a  mark  of  royal  favour,  would  not  feel  proud 
of  making  the  world  sensible  of  the  high  privilege 
which  he  enjoyed,  and  daily  embrace  with  gladness 
the  opportunity  wliich  a  free  access  to  the  person  of 
his  prince  atlbrded  him,  of  obtaining  relief  for  himself 
and  his  friends.  Shall  we,  then,  think  less  highly  of 
the  honour  conlerretl  upon  us  by  the  King  of  Heaven, 
is  not  only  inviting  but  even  commanding  us  to  lay  our 
wants  before  him?  Shall'  we  be  less  solicitous  for  eter- 
nal blessings  than  for  temporal  ones?  Shall  we  slight 
the  gracious  condecension  of  that  tender  and  omnipo- 
tent Father,  who  waits  but  to  l)ehold  us  imploring  his 
aid  in  the  disposition  of  humble  suppliants,  and  is  rea- 
dy instantly  to  shower  down  upon  us  the  treasures  of 
his  grace  and  mercy?  Shall  we  refuse  him  the  accep- 
table tribute  of  our  morning  and  evening  homage;  a 
tribute,  which,  tliougli  due  tohim  as  our  Creator,  Pre- 
server, and  Sovereign  Lord,  he  never  fails  to  recom- 
pense with  abundant  blessings,  temporal  and 'eternal? 
Ah!  my  beloved  Brethren,  how  truly  provoking  and 
insuhing  in  the  sight  of  God  must  be  the  conduct  of 
those  who,  notwithstanding  his  invitations,  his  com- 
mands, and  his  promises,  neglect  the  daily  and  impor- 
tant obligation  of  prayer!  Vet,  how  does  this  crimi- 
nal neglect  now  overspread  the  face  of  the  earth!  How 
few  ai'ethe  families  and  the  individuals  that  are  faithful 
in  the  discharge  of  this  duty?  Thousands  of  those 
among  whom  we  live,  rise  in  the  morning  without  one 
thought  of  the  bounty  of  that  Being  who  preserved 
them  durmg  the  night  from  the  arrows  of  death  that 
have  fallen  thick  around  them,  and  have  surprised  so 
many  of  their  unhappy  fellow-creatures.  They  hasten 
to  their  daily  task  and  occupation  without  a  single  act 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  97 

of  homage  and  adoration  ol"  that  God  who  holds  in 
his  hand  the  tl tread  of  their  existence.  Forgetful  of 
their  dependence  on  the  bounty  of  God  during  the  day, 
they  conclude  theii-  labours  in  the  same  slothful  spir- 
it; they  retire  to  rest  like  the  brutes  of  the  field;  and 
though  their  consciences  groan  under  a  load  of  iniqui- 
ty, they  offer  not  a  single  supplication  for  mercy  to 
their  insulted  God,  whose  vengeance  they  have  such 
just  reasons  to  fear.  Even  among  the  better  sort  of 
Christians,  who  are  careful  to  perform  some  acts  of 
devotion  each  morning  and  evening,  what  slothful  in- 
difference is  too  often  observable  in  the  manner  of  dis- 
charging this  sacred  obligation!  How  small  a  portion 
of  time  i§  devoted  to  the  holy  exercise  of  prayer;  and 
of  that  small  poition,  how  very  little  is  really  given  to 
God  from  a  want  of  that  sense  of  our  total  dependence 
on  God,  and  that  ardent  desire  of  obtaining  his  grace 
here  and  the  enjoyment  of  him  hereafter,  which  are 
the  life  and  soul  of  Cliristian  prayer!  Again;  how 
many  parents  and  masters  of  families,  though  faithful 
perhaps  iu  fulfilling  the  duty  of  prayer  themselves, 
take  no  care  of  those  under  their  charge  as  to  the  per- 
formance of  this  obligation,  and  consequently  become 
responsible  in  the  siglit  of  God  for  the  criminal  neglect 
of  prayer,  of  which  their  children,  sei  vants,  and  ap- 
prentices are  guilty,  and  (orj^e  evil  consequences, 
that  flow  from  such  neglect:  Indeetl,  my  beloved 
brethren,  without  entering  into  any  detail  of  the 
fatal  effects  of  neglecting  the  important  duty  of  pray- 
er, it  may  be  said  with  truth,  that  to  this  one  neglect 
alone  we  may  ascribe  the  ruin  of  the  greater  part  of 
the  souls  that  are  eternally  lost.  For,  however  violent 
and  dangerous  may  be  the  temptations  to  which  we 
find  ourselves  exposed;  however  strong  and  inveter- 
ate the  habits  of  vice  in  which  we  may  have  the  mis- 
fortune to  be  engaged;  however  malicious  the  efforts 
of  our  spiritual  enemies;  prayer,  fervent  prayer,  will 
remove  every  obstacle  to  salvation,  will  prove  both  a 
9 


98  NINTH  HOMILY  ON 

sword  and  a  sliield  in  the  hour  of  danger,  and  will  lead 
us  on  to  the  possession  of  that  crown  which  is  promis- 
ed to  the  conqueror  of  sin  and  death.     But  to  neglect 
pray^,  is  to  walk  naked  and  unarmed  into  the  midst 
of  foes  that  are  incessantly  plotting  our  destruction;  in 
^lort,  it  is  wilfully  writing  the  sentence  of  our  own 
everlasting  condemnation.     In  prayer   the  Saints  of 
God  found  their  protection  from  danger,  their  safeguard 
in  battle,  their  refuge  in  tribulation,  their  consolation 
in  distress.     Thus  the  holy  servant  of  God,  Tobias, 
struck  with  blindness,  deprived   of  his   possessions, 
ridiculed  by  his  friends,  and  reviled  by  his  \a  ife,  in  fine, 
abandoned  by  every  earthly  consolation,  flies  to  pray- 
er for  his  solace  under  the  sorro\\  s  that  ovetvvhelmed 
him,  and  in  prayer  finds  that  comfort  and  relief  which 
no  human  aid  could  have  afforded  him.     He  humbles 
himself  under  the  hand  that  strikes  him;  adores  the  di- 
vine judgments,  always"  just  and  holy  in   themselves; 
and  bows  with  perfect  submission  totiie  will  of  heaven. 
Heleaves  himself  to  the  disposal  of  Providence,  whose 
ways  he  acknowledges  are  full  of  mercy,  and  truth, 
and  justice:  full  of  mercy,  because  all  his  chastisements 
are  designed  to  promote  the  happiness  of  his  children; 
full  of  truth,  because  in  them  he  fulfils  liis-own  declara- 
tion, that  "he  chastises  him  whom  he  loi'es,"  Prov. 
iii.  12.;  and  full  of  justice,  because  no  man  living  is 
without  slain  in  his  divine  sight,  and,  consequently,  no 
one  is  exempt  from  feeling  the  eflccis  of  sin  in  the 
scourges  ot  divine  justice.     "Thou  ait  just,  O  Lord, 
and  all  thy  judgements  are  just,  and  all  thy  ways  are 
mercy,  and  truth,  and  judgment."     Having  thus  con- 
fessed the  justice  of  divine  Providence,  'I  obias  runs 
with  confidence  to  shelter  himself  under  the  wings  of 
its  mercy.     "Now,  O  Lord,  remember  me,  and  take 
not  revenge  of  my  sins,  neither  remember  my  ofi'cn- 
ces,  nor  those  of  my  parents.     For  we  have  not  obey- 
ed thy  commandments,  and  therefore  are  delivered  to 
spoil,  and  captivity,  and  to  death."     Full  of  humility. 


THE  BO&K  OF  TOBIAS.  99 

Tobias  ranks  himself  amonij  sinners;  acknowledges 
that  his  un\vorthiness  was  such  as  might  have  excluded 
him  from  a  place  in  liie  remembrance  of  God's  mercy. 
But  full  also  of  divine  faith,  he  considers  his  afflictions 
as  a  proof  of  tiie  kind  intentions  of  his  Creator  to- 
wards him.  knowing-  that  the  like  afflictions  had  befal- 
len the  Saints  who  liad  gone  before  him  in  the  path  of 
virtue.  While  he  confesses  himself  a  sinner,  and  ac- 
knowledges himself  and  the  whole  people  of  Israel  to 
have  deserved  the  vengeance  of  God  by  their  ingrati- 
tude for  past  favours,  he  implores  heaven  to  avert  its 
scourges,  to  forget  his  own  and  his  people's  sins,  and 
to  be  mindful  only  of  its  ancient  mercies.  Then  turn- 
ing to  the  consideration  of  his  own  state;  conscious 
of  his  past  fidelity  in  the  divine  service,  and  being 
confident  that  death  would  bring  him  to  the  happy  ac- 
complishment of  all  his  labours,  his  prayers  and  his 
tears,  he  cheerfully  recommends  his  soul  into  the  hands 
of  his  Creator.  "And  now,  O  Lord,  do  with  me  ac, 
cording  to  thy  will,  and  cofiimand  my  spirit  to  be  re- 
ceived in  peace."  Not  that  this  holy  man  was  weary 
of  suflfering,  or  sunk  under  his  afflictions;  but  consid- 
ering the  dangers  that  threatened  him,  from  the  evil 
example  of  the  wicked  among  whoni  he  lived,  he  fear- 
ed lest  he  should  be  drawn  aside  from  the  path  of  du- 
ty, and  forfeit  the  divine  favour.  Looking  therefore 
upon  death  as  the  best  security  both  for  his  virtue  and 
its  reward,  he  prays  for  the  hastening  of  the  moment 
of  his  dissolution,  yet  with  perfect  submission  to  that 
divine  Providence  which  ordains  all  things  for  the 
good  of  its  servants. — That  holy  prayer,  my  beloved 
brethren,  may  be  your  refuge  and  consolation  in  time 
of  distress;  be  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  this  holy 
duty  during  your  health  and  strength,  and  see  that  all 
under  your  charge  are  regular  in  the  performance  of 
this  sacred  obligation.  Abundant  blessings,  both  tem- 
poral and  eternal,  will  be  the  happy  reward  of  your 
fidelity. 


100  TENTH  HOMILY  ON 


TENTH  HO]M[ZI.Y. 


Chap.  III.  ver  7.     Now  it  happened  on  the  same  day,  that  Sarah, 
daughter  of  Raguel  in  Rages,  a  city  of  the  Medes,  received  a 

reproach  from  one  of  her  fal&er's  servani-maids, 8.  Because 

she  had  been  given  to  seven   husbands,  and  a  devil  named  As- 

modeus  had  killed  them  at  their  first  going  in  unto  her 9. 

So  when  she  reproved  the  maid  for  her  fault,  she  answered  her, 
saying,  May  we  never  see  son  or  daughter  of  thee  upon  the 

earth,  thou  murderer  of  thy  husbands! 10.     Wilt  thou  kill 

me  also,  as  thou  hast  already  killed  seven  husbands? — At  these 
words  she  went  into  an  upper  chamber  of  her  house,  and  for 

three  days  and   three  nights  did  neitlier  eat  nor  drink: 11. 

But  continuing  in  prayer  with  tears,  besought  God  that  he 
would  deliver  her  from  this  reproach. 

We  are  now,  my  beloved  brethren,  arrived  at  a  part 
of  the  book  of  Tobias,  which  unfolds  to  us  many  ad- 
mirable secrets  of  the  conduct  of  divine  Providence 
towards  its  chosen  servants.  At  the  same  time  that 
Tobias  in  his  affliction  at  JNinivc  had  recourse  to  play- 
er as  his  only  consolation,  Sarah,  another  servant  of 
God  at  Rages,  or,  as  it  is  also  called,  Elcbalana,  a  city 
of  the  Medes,  having  met  with  a  severe  persecution, 
flew  to  the  same  holy  exercise  for  refuge  and  comfort. 
The  prayers,  of  both  these  holy  persons  were  heard 
by  Almighty  God,  because  they  were  presented  to  liim 
in  the  same  spirit  of  a  lively  faith  and  solid  humillLy. 
Their  petitions  were  granted,  but  in  a  manner  very 
ditl'erent  from  what  they  themselves  expected,  as  the 
sequel  of  the  history  will  inform  you. 

Sarah,  the  daughter  of  Raguel,  was  a  virtuous 
young  woman,  whose  holy  life  corresponded  with  the 
principles  of  piety  in  which  she  had  been  educated. 
In  compliance  with  the  will  of  her  parents,  she  had 
engaged  no  less  tiian  seven  times  in  the  married  state, 
but  each  of  her  seven  husbands  had  been  struck  ^vith 


BOOK  OP  TOBIAS.  101 

death  on  the  first  night  of  his  marriage.  As  they  had 
sutiered  their  hearts  to  fall  a  prey  to  the  passion  of 
lust,  and  the  gratification  of  their  passion  was  the  prin- 
cipal motive  that  induced  them  to  enter  into  matrimo- 
ny, Almighty  God,  to  shew  the  abhorrence  which  he 
has  of  all  impurity,  particularly  in  the  married  state, 
delivered  them  up  to  the  power  of  an  evil  spirit,  "who 
slew  them  at  their  very  first  going  in  unto  her."  How 
dreadful  an  example  is  this  of  the  rigorous  punishment 
with  which  God  will  hereafter  visit  those  who  either 
enter  into  the  married  state  with  unbecoming  disposi- 
tions, or  when  engaged  in  it,  profane  its  sanctity  by 
any  indecent  liberties.  Though  he  no  longer  displays 
his  visible  judgments  upon  such  as  provoke  him  by 
these  crimes,  Christians  are  to  remember,  that  their 
punishment  will  be  so  much  the  more  severe  in  that 
future  state  in  which  justice  will  no  longer  be  temper- 
ed with  mercy.  By  the  untimely  end  of  the  seven 
first  husbands  of  Sarah,  Almighty  God  plainly  shew- 
ed that  they  were  not  worthy  ot  her,  and  at  the  same 
time  gives  an  awful  lesson  to  all  young  persons,  of  that 
purity  of  heart  and  intention  which  he  requires  from 
those  who  enter  into  the  holy  state  of  matrimony. 
The  dispositions  necessary  to  draw  down  the  divine 
blessing  upon  a  Christian  marriage,  will  come  under 
our  consideration  in  the  course  of  a  future  instruction. 
After  the  death  of  her  seven  husbands,  Sarah  con- 
tinued to  live  with  her  parents  that  same  life  of  purity 
and  innocense  which  had  secured  her,  in  so  visible  a 
manner,  the  protection  of  heaven.  On  one  occasion 
it  happened  that  she  found  herself  obliged  in  duty  to 
reprove  one  of  her  father's  maid-servants  for  a  fault 
which  she  had  committed.  The  servant,  instead  of  re- 
ceiving the  correction  with  humility,  flew  into  a  pas- 
sion, and  made  use  of  the  most  reproachful  and  insult- 
ing language,  charging  her  young  mistress  with  being 
the  murderer  of  her  seven  husbands,  and  calling  down 
the  curse  of  heaven  upon  her.  Sarah,  though  thus  iii- 
9* 


102  TENTH  HOMILY  ON 

suited  and  abused  by  an  inferior,  sought  no  revenge. 
Like  a  true  servant  of  God,  she  considered  the  hand  of 
Providence  in  this,  as  in  every  other  event,  sweetly 
disposing  all  things  for  her  good.  Banishing  all  thoughts 
of  malice  and  revenge  from  her  heart,  she  submits 
with  admirable  patience  to  the  persecution  of  her  ser- 
vant, and  seeks  for  comfort  in  holy  prayer.  To  per- 
form this  holy  exercise  with  greater  recollection  of 
spirit,  and  to  pour  forth  her  heart  \vith  greater  free- 
dom, she  withdraws  from  the  noise  and  conversation 
of  the  world,  and  retires  into  a  chamber  in  the  upper 
part  of  the  house.  There  she  spends  three  whole  davs 
in  the  most  fervent  prayer;  and  in  order  to  give  greater 
efficacy  to  her  petitions,  observes  during  the  whole 
time  a  most  rigorous  fast,  taking  neither  meat  nor  drink. 
With  tears  she  implores  her  God  to  deliver  her  from 
the  reproach  that  had  been  cast  upon  her,  to  clear  lier 
from  the  false  accusation  of  having  been  the  murderer 
of  her  husbands;  and  to  avert  the  curse  of  barrenness 
which  her  servant  had  called  down  upon  her.  It  is 
thus,  my  beloved  brethren,  that  the  Saints  of  God 
leave  it  to  the  Almighty  to  be  their  avenger  and  deliv- 
erer under  the  calumnies  and  persecutions  ^vhich  befall 
them;  make  it  their  only  study  to  embrace  with  the 
most  perfect  submission  all  the  appointments  of  Pro- 
vidence; and  to  turn  their  trials  and  afflictions  into  so 
many  sources  of  grace  here,  and  of  eternal  reward 
hereafter. 

From  the  prayer  of  Tobias  I  took  occasion  (o  point 
out  to  you  the  necessity  and  obligation  of  that  holy 
exercise;  a  necessity  founded  on  our  total  dependence 
upon  God  for  every  good,  and  on  the  positive  injunc- 
tion of  God  himself,  who  has  commanded  us  to  pray 
as  the  means  to  render  ourselves  deserving  of  his  boun- 
ty. The  prayer  of  Sarah,  which  forms  the  principal 
subject  of  this  instruction,  presents  j^ou  with  an  ex- 
cellent pattern  of  the  manner  in  ^vhich  you  are  to  dis- 
charge this  holy  duty,  in  order  to  render  your  prayer 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  103 

pleasing  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  productive  of  fruit 
to  your  own  souls.  For  it  is  not  ever}'  kind  of  pray- 
er which  draws  down  the  blessing  of  heaven.  The 
prayer  which  is  merely  tlie  service  of  the  lips  and  not 
of  the  heart;  the  prayer  which  is  otiered  up  by  the  wil- 
ful sinner,  who  remains  obstinate  in  his  crimes,  or  by 
the  worldling  whose  soul  is  enslaved  to  the  perishable 
things  of  this  life,  and  cares  not  for  the  blessings  of 
eternity,  all  such  prayers  as  these,  are  a  mockery  of 
God,  and  instead  of  securing  his  blessing,  provoke  his 
indignation.  When  you  pray  therefore,  imitate  the 
virtuous  Sarah,  in  carefully  banishing  the  ^vorld  and 
its  follies  from  all  place  in  your  thoughts;  and  let  your 
exterior,  i.  e.  the  outward  posture  of  your  body,  be- 
speak the  inward  reverence  and  humility  of  your  soul. 
Kneeling  down  as  a  mark  of  respect  due  to  the  sov- 
ereign Creator,  begin  not  your  petition  till  you  have 
deeply  impressed  upon  your  mind  a  sense  of  the  pre- 
sence of  that  immense  Being  who  fills  the  heavens  and 
the  earth,  before  whom  you  kneel,  and  whose  mercy 
you  are  about  to  implore.  It  is  the  advice  of  the  wise 
man,  or  rather  of  the  Holy  Ghost  by  his  mouth,  who 
says,  "Before  prayer  prepare  thy  soul,  and  be  not  as 
one  who  tempteth  God."  Eccl  xviii.  23.  If  thoughts 
of  worldly  business,  company,  amusement,  or  the  likp, 
present  themselves  before  you  when  you  go  to  prayer, 
say  to  them  as  Jesus  did  to  his  disciples  when  he  en- 
tered the  garden  to  pour  forth  his  soul  to  his  heavenly 
Father,  "Stay  you  here  while  I  go  yonder  and  pray." 
Shut  the  door  of  your  mind  against  all  wilful  distrac- 
tions, and  bring  with  you  to  this  holy  exercise,  a  heart 
truly  sensible  of  the  divine  presence,  and  truly  desir- 
ous to  discharge  this  sacred  duty  in  a  becoriiing  man- 
ner There  is  nothing  so  necessary  in  order  to  pray 
well,  as  this  recollection  of  spirit,  this  thought  of  the 
divine  presence.  But  to  obtain  it  and  preserve  it  in 
your  souls,  you  must  not  only  cultivate  this  recollec- 
tion at  the  times  in  which  you  go  to  prayer:  accustom 


104  TENTH  HOMILY  ON 

yourselves  to  a  frequent  remembrance  of  tlie  divine 
presence  during  the  day,  let  the  whole  tenour  of  3' our 
lives  be  regular,  and,  aljove  all,  avoid  giving  too  much 
time  to  dissipation  and  excess  of  amusement,  than 
which  nothing  contributes  more  to  root  out  the  spirit 
of  prayer  from  the  soul.  Bringing  with  you  this  re- 
collection of  spirit  to  youi  prayers,  you  will  not  only 
prevent  distractions  from  being  voluntary  in  their  ori- 
gin, but,  acquiring  a  habit  of  watchfulness  over  your- 
selves, you  will  be  powerfully  aided  in  faittifuUy  resist- 
ing and  removing  those  involuntary  wanderings  of  tlie 
mind,  which  are  inseparable  from  our  present  state  of 
frailty  and  corruption.  Having  then  used  your  good 
endeavours  to  prepare  yourselves  for  the  duty  of  pray- 
er, by  recollection  in  the  divine  presence,  be  not  dis- 
heartened or  alarmed  at  the  frequent  involuntary  dis- 
tractions which  you  may  experience.  '  Make  them  a 
subject  of  humility,  acknowledging  in  them  the  weak- 
ness of  your  nature,  and  faitlifuUy  fight  against  them; 
then,  so  far  from  hindering  the  fruit  of  your  prayer, 
they  will,  by  filling  you  with  sentiments  of  humility, 
add  greatly  to  the  merit  of  "that  holy  exercise,  and 
draw  down  an  increase  of  grace. 

For,  next  to  this  recollection  of  spirit  and  sense  of 
God's  presence  which  I  liave  pointed  out  to  you  as  the 
first  disposition  towards  praying  well,  you  mtrst  be 
careful  to  pray  with  an  humble  spirit.  God  hath  re- 
gard to  the  piayer  ot  the  humble,  and  he  despiseth 
not  their  petitions;  but  the  proud  he  rejects  far  from 
him.  Kneel  before  God  with  a  full  conviction  of  your 
own  poverty  and  unworthiness;  sensible  that  your 
wants  are  infinite,  and  that  God  alone  can  give  you 
relief,  throw  yourselves  at  his  feet.  Cry  out  to  him 
in  the  sentiments  of  humility  and  earnest  supplication 
with  which  the  beggar  at  your  gate  entreats  an  alms 
from  you;  for,  says  the  great  St.  Augustine,  with  re- 
gard to  God,  we  are  all  beggars  when  we  pray,  pros- 
trate before  the  door  of  this  great  Father  of  the  whole 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  105 

world,  with  sighs  and  tears  imploring  blessings  from 
him.  It  was  in  this  spirit  holy  ^  avid  prayed,  Psalm 
Ixix.  6,  "I  am  needy  and  poor,  O  God  help  me;"  and 
the  prophet  Daniel  tells  us  that  his  pra3^ers  were  per- 
formed in  the  same  humble  disposition;  "When  I  pray- 
ed," says  he,  "I  confessed  my  sins  and  those  of  my 
people  Israel,  and  prostrate  on  the  ground  poured 
forth  my  prayers  in  the  presence  of  my  God."  Dan. 
ix.  20.  In  the  same  humble  and  contrite  spirit,  the 
publican,  by  a  short  but  fei'vent  expression  of  humili- 
ty, supplicated  and  found  mercy,  in  the  forgiveness  of 
his  sins. 

But  this  humble  sense  of  your  own  unworthiness 
must  always  be  accompanied  with  a  firm  confidence 
in  the  goodness  of  God,  which  is  a  third  condition 
requisite  for  rendering  your  prayers  acceptable  to 
God.  This  is  what  the  holy  Scripture  calls  praying 
icith  faith;  " Wjiatsoever  you  shall  ask  in  prayer,  if 
you  ask  with  faith,  that  is,  with  confidence  in  God, 
you  shall  obtain  it."  Matt.  xxi.  22.  How  strong, 
how  lively,  how  admirable  was  this  faith  in  those 
poor  distressed  objects  who  are  recorded  in  the  Gos- 
pel to  have  drawn  near  to  Jesus  Christ  for  the  cure 
of  their  temporal  infirmities  !  The  woman  who  had 
been  afflicted  for  so  many  years  with  an  issue  of 
blood,  says  within  herself,  "If  I  shall  but  touch  the 
hem  of  his  garment  I  shall  be  healed."  Matt.  ix.  21. 
The  centurion,  after  expressing  his  own  unworthiness 
to  entertain  his  Saviour  under  his  roof,  cries  out  with 
a  full  faith  and  confidence  in  his  divine  power  and 
goodness,  "Speak  but  the  word,  O  Lord,  and  my  ser- 
vant shall  be  healed."  Malt.  viii.  8.  Shall  we  then 
have  less  confidence  when  we  apply  to  him  for  the 
relief  of  our  spiritual  wants?  Are  his  goodness  and 
his  power  less  than  they  formerly  were;  or  is  the  arm 
of  his  mercy  shortened?  Has  not  he  himself  com- 
manded us  to  pray,  with  a  full  assurance  that  whatso- 
ever we  ask  we  shall  receive,  if  we  ask  it  in  his 
name?     Oh!  let  us  throw  ourselves  with  confidence  in- 


106  TENTH  HOMILY  ON 

to  the  arms  of  his  mercy,  let  us  lay  our  wants  at  the 
feet  of  our  heavenly  Father,  filled,  indeed,  with  a 
sense  of  our  own  unworthiness,  but  placing  all  our 
hopcHJi  that  adorable  Saviour,  who  having  once  by 
his  death  purchased  every  blessing  for  us,  lives  al- 
ways to  make  intei'cession  for  us,  and  presents  inces- 
santly to  his  ^ternal  Father  his  bitter  sufferings  and 
death,  in  union  with  our  humble  requests,  to  the 
throne  of  mercy. 

But  you  have  prayed,  and  you  find  yourselves  no 
better  for  your  prayers. — Redouble  then  your  fervour, 
and  persevere  in  prayer.  For,  either  you  have  not 
prayed  with  those  dispositions  which  I  have  named  to 
you,  recollection  in  the  divine  presence,  attention,  hu- 
militij,  and  confidence;  or  the  Almighty,  in  his  merci- 
ful designs  for  your  good,  defers  the  grant  of  your 
petitions,  in  order  thaj;  you  may  pray  with  greater 
earnestness  and  with  perseverance,  and  thus  may  de- 
serve a  great  increase  of  grace.  The  oftering  of  our 
prayer,  at  first  insignilicant  and  contemptible  in  itself, 
by  being  many  times  renewed  and  repeated,  becomes 
at  length  valuable,  and  in  some  manner  proportioned 
to  the  blessings  which  we  ask.  Hence  Almighty 
God  often  grants  to  perseverance  in  prayer  that  which 
he  refuses  to  a  first  request.  Our  divine  Kedeemer, 
therefore,  exhorts  us  to  pray  and  faint  not;  and  for  our 
encourairement  ffives  us  the  examuleof  a  widow  who 

O  o  1 

had  for  a  long  time  solicited  an  unjust  judge  to  do  her 
justice  but  without  effect,  till  at  length  by  her  multi- 
plied entreaties,  she  in  a  manner  forced  him  to  grant 
her  request.  But  the  most  admirable  pattern  of  per- 
severance in  prayer,  is  the  Chananaean  woman,  as  re- 
lated in  the  loth  chapter  of  St.  Matthew.  This  poor 
woman,  though  brought  up  amongst  idolaters,  had 
heard  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  conceived  a  strong  faith  in 
Ijim.  She  applied  to  him  for  the  cure  of  her  daughter, 
who  was  grievously  tormented  by  the  devil.  At  first 
our  divine  Redeemer  took  no  notice  at  all  of  her  re- 
quest, but  remained  silent,  as  if  he  had  no  care  for 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  107 

her.  The  woman  not  all  disheartened,  redoubled  her 
cries,  till  the  Apostles,  weary  of  her  importunities, 
begged  their  divine  Master  either  to  dismiss  her,  or 
to  grant  what  she  asked.  The  answer  of  our  Saviour 
was  still  more  dislieartening  than  his  silence;  "I  am 
sent,"  said  he,  "-only  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of 
Israel."  You,  therefore,  who  belong  not  to  my  fold, 
have  no  claim  upon  my  mercy.  But,  instead  of  sink- 
ing into  despair  and  giving  up  her  cause,  the  woman 
drew  nearer  to  Jesus,  threw  herself  at  his  feet,  and 
worshipped  him,  saying:  "Lord,  help  me."  Admira- 
ble as  was  her  confidence,  and  lervent  as  was  her  pray- 
er, Jesus  seemed  not  to  regard  it,  But  coolly  rejilied, 
"It  is  not  fit  to  take  the  bread  of  children  and  give  it 
to  the  dogs."  One  would  have  imagined  that  this 
answer  of  our  Saviour  would  have  deprived  this  poor 
woman  of  all  hope,  and  induced  her  1o  abandon  her 
request;  but  it  SL'rves  only  to  animate  her  confidence, 
and  redouble  iier  fervour.  "Yes,  O  Lord,"  she  cries 
out,  "it  is  true;  but  even  the  dogs  eat  of  the  crumbs 
which  fall  fiom  their  master's  table."  I  confess,  O 
Lord,  that  brought  up  in  idolatry,  I  am,  compared  to 
tiiy  people,  as  that  unclean  animal,  the  dog.  I  am  not 
worthy  to  partake  of  the  bread  with  which  thou  feed- 
est  thy  ciiildren.  But  deny  me  not,  O  Lord,  the 
crumbs  which  fall  from  thy  table;  give  me  the  blessing 
which  I  ask,  and  which  requires  not  the  exertion  of 
that  almighty  power  which  thou  displayest  in  favour 
of  thy  ))eoplc,  but  merely  a  fragment  of  thy  omnipo- 
tent goodness.  "O  woman,"  cried  out  our  Redeem- 
er, in  admiration  at  her  perseverance,  "great  is  thy 
faith;  be  it  done  to  thee  accordingly  as  thou  desired:" 
and  her  daughter  was  cured  at  that  very  hour. 

In  how  admirable  a  manner,  my  beloved  brethren, 
has  Jesus  Christ  here  untblded  to  us  the  conduct  of 
our  heavenly  Father.  If  he  grants  not  our  requests 
when  we  first  present  them,  it  is  not  because  he  is 
either  unable  or  unwilling  to  relieve  us;  but  it  is  to 
impress  us   more  deeply  with  a  sense  of  our  own 


108  TENTH    HOMILY  ON 

nothingness,  to  animate  us  with  greater  faith  and  con- 
fidence in  his  goodness,  to  excite  us  to  fresh  ferv^our,  ■ 
and  to  induce  us  to  perseverance,  by  which  our  offer- 
ings are  rendered  more  pleasing  in  his  sight,  more 
proportioned  to  his  graces,  and  more  deserving  of  his 
bounty. 

Mindful  tlien  of  the  unbounded  goodness  of  that 
Being  on  whom  you  depend  for  every  blessing,  be  in- 
stant in  prayer;  pray  and  faint  not.  But  be  careful, 
my  beloved  brethren,  to  bnng  with  you  to  prayer  the 
dispositions  which  I  have  pointed  out  to  you,  as  es- 
sentially requisitejto  a  good  performance  of  that  duty. 
When  you  present  yourselves  as  suppliants  before  the 
throne  of  God,  apply  your  whole  soul  to  that  holy 
exercise.  Banish  all  carnal  and  worldly  thoughts 
from  your  minds,  and  think  of  God  alone,  and  of 
what  you  are  asking  from  his  bounty.  Impress  your 
minds  with  a  feeling  sense  of  the  divine  presence, 
and  raise  yourselves  in  spirit  above  all  earthly  objects 
to  the  throne  of  the  Deity.  There,  prostrate  in  the 
most  profound  sentiments  of  your  own  nothingness, 
pour  forth  your  requests  with  an  humble  heart,  but 
with  a  firm  confidence  in  the  goodness  of  God  and 
the  merits  of  your  Saviour.  Consider  prayer  as  the 
most  important  business  of  each  day  of  your  lives;  as 
that  upon  which  principally  your  present  and  I'uture 
happiness  depend.  Let  no  worldly  cares,  neither 
business,  company,  nor  amusement,  prevent  your  reg- 
ular attention  to  this  m.osl  important  duty,  both  with 
regard  to  yourselves  and  your  families.  Butin  pray- 
ing, let  it  be  your  first  concern  to  seek  the  kingdom 
of  God  and  his  justice.  Your  prayers  thus  proceed- 
ing from  an  earnest  desire  of  eternal  life,  offered  up 
with  recollection,  attention,  humility,  and  persever- 
ance, and  presented  in  the  name  and  through  the 
merits  of  Christ  Jesus,  will  ascend  as  a  sweet  odour 
before  God,  who  will  open  to  you,  as  he  did  to  his 
servants  Tobias  and  Sarah,  the  full  hand  of  his  mer- 
cy, in  the  liberal  giant  of  all  your  requests. 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  109 


EI.EVENTK  HOMILY. 

Chap.  in.  ver.  12.  And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  third  day,  when 
she  (Sarah)  was  m  iiing  an  end  of  her  prayer,  blessing  the 
Lord, 13.  she  said.  Blessed  is  thy  name,  O  God  of  our  Fa- 
thers: who,  when  thou  hast  been  angry,  wilt  sliew  mercy,  and  in 
the  time  of  tribulation,  forgivest  the  sins  of  them  that  call 
upon  thee. 

The  holy  Scripture  has  recorded  for  us  tlie  conclu- 
sion of  the  admirable  prayer,  which  Sarah  in  her  dis- 
tress presented  to  the  Ahnitjhty.  It  is  so  clear  that  it 
stands  not  in  need  of  any  explanation;  and,  at  the  same 
time,  is  so  full  of  the  noblest  sentiments  of  piety,  and 
the  most  useful  instructions,  that  it  is  highly  deserving 
of  our  serious  meditation.  Sarah,  under  one  of  the 
most  Severe  trials  that  can  befall  human  nature,  that  of 
calumny,  being  falsely  charged  witli  the  murder  of  her 
husbands,  and  quite  overwhelmed  with  grief  and  af- 
fliction, blesses  God,  Confessing  him  to  be  the  Sov- 
ereign Lord  of  his  creatures,  and  acknowledging  that 
he  has  a  right  to  do  as  he  pleases  wiih  the  works  of 
his  hands,  she  finds  a  source  of  consolation  even  in 
her  affliction  itself.  Nothing  can  shake  her  faith  in 
this  truth,  that  the  ditferent  events  of  our  lives  are  or- 
dered by  an  all-wise  Providence  for  our  good,  nor  les- 
sen her  confidence  in  the  divine  mercy  and  protection. 
She  knows  that  the  very  chastisements  of  heaven  are 
all  tempered  with  mercy,  and  that  afflictions  borne 
with  humble  resignation  to  his  holy  will,  are  one  of 
the  most  excellent  means  of  atoning  for  sin  and  disarm- 
ing God's  indignation.  Banisliing  every  human  con- 
sideration, and  every  earthly  source  of  comfort  far 
from  her  thoughts,  she  turns  to  God  alone  for  refuge, 
and  with  her  whole  heart  fixed  on  the  contemplation 
of  his  infinite  wisdom,  power,  and  goodness,  she  im- 
10 


110  ELEVENTH  HOMILY  ON 

plores  his  protection.  Penetrated  with  the  most  live- 
ly sentiments  of  her  ovvn  natural  weakness,  yet  full 
of  that  confidence  which  a  good  conscience  never  fails 
to  inspire,  she  offers  her  fervent  piayeis  for  relief  to 
the  throne  of  mercy.  Like  the  good  Tobias,  fearing 
her  trials  might  overpower  her,  and  the  strength,  of 
temptation  prevail  upon  her  to  quit  the  path  of  virtue, 
she  begs  of  the  Almighty  with  prayers,  with  fasting, 
and  with  tears,  either  to  clear  her  from  the  false  accu- 
sation thrown  upon  her,  or,  if  agreeable  to  his  will,  to 
withdraw  her  by  death  from  the  contagion  of  a  wicked 
world,  and  not  suffer  her  to  be  even  innocently  an  oc- 
casion of  sin  to  others,  who  might  be  induced  to  think 
that  she  had  been  guilty  of  the  horrid  ciimes  laid  to 
her  charge. 

Ver.  14.     To  thee,  0  Lord,  (she  cries  out)  I  turn  my  face,  to  thee 

I  direct   my  eyes I.t.   i  beg,  O  Lord,  that  tfiou  loose  me 

from  the  bond  of  this  reproach,  oi  else  take  me  away  from  the 
earth. 

The  examples  of  the  Saints  in  their  conduct  under 
afflictions,  preach  to  us  more  powerlully  than  any  pre- 
cepts, of  the  admirable  advantages  to  be  derived  (rom 
the  trials  and  sufferings  which  are  insepaia'-)le  from 
our  present  condition.  Even  in  the  old  law,  what  per- 
fect models  of  resignation  and  patience  were  tiiose 
holy  servants  of  God,  Joseph,  Job,  David,  Tobias, 
&c.  But  in  the  new  law,  we  have  the  much  more 
perfect  example  of  the  divine  Founder  of  Christiani- 
ty, Jesus  Christ  himself;  who,  under  the  most  outra- 
geous calumnies,  insults,  and  cruelties,  heaped  upon 
him  by  his  own  creatures,  even  when  he  was  led  as  a 
sheep  to  the  slaug:hter,  opened  not  his  mouth;  "who, 
when  he  was  revued,  did  not  revile,  and  when  he  suf- 
iiered,  threatened  not,  leaving  you  an  example  that  you 
may  walk  in  his  steps."  1  Pet.  ii.  21,  22.  He  fore- 
warns us  not  to  be  surprised  if  we  meet  with  perse- 
cution from  a  wicked  world,  since  the  world  persecut- 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  1  1 1 

ed  him,  our  Teacher  and  our  Lord;  but,  under  the 
suiTering's  which  befall  us,  to  preserve  tliat  spirit  of 
meekness  and  chaiity  whicli  forms  tlie  characteristic 
mark  of  his  true  disciples;  to  seek  no  revenge,  but  to 
leave  our  cause  in  the  hands  of  God,  who  will  vindi- 
cate our  innocence  in  due  time,  and  to  exercise  mercy 
towards  our  greatest  enemies.  Thus  shall  we  heap 
coals  of  fire,  i.  e.  confusion,  on  their  heads,  and  pre- 
pare for  our  own  a  crown  of  glory.  For,  "blessed 
are  ye  when  men  shall  revile  you,  and  persecute  you, 
and  speak  all  that  is  evil  against  you,  untruly,  for  my 
sake;  be  glad  and  rejoice,  for  your  reward  is  very 
great  in  heaven.'"'  Matt.  v.  11,  12. 

Sarah,  having  humbly  acknowledged  her  submission 
to  tlie  will  of  heaven;  and  expressed  her  confidence 
-in  the  divine  mercy,  lays  open  the  secrets  of  her  heart 
before  the  Most  High,  and  finds  in  her  past  innocence 
of  life  the  most  consoling  source  of  hope  in  the  divine 
power  and  protection. 

Ver.  16.     Thou  knowest,  0  Lord,  that  I  never  coveted  ahusband, 

and  have  kept  my  soul  clean  from  all  lust 17.  Never  have 

1  joined  with  them  that  play:  neither  have  I  made  myself  par- 
taker with  them  that  walk  in  lightness. 

Happy  are  all  those  young  persons,  who,  like  this 
virtuous  woman,  can  call  with  confidence  upon  the 
God  of  truth  to  witness  the  purity  of  their  hearts;  can 
assert,  that  they  have  preserved  their  souls  and  bodies 
fiee  from  the  defilement  of  lust,  and  have  carefully 
shunned  the  company  of  those  whose  words  or  exam- 
ple might  have  endangered  their  chastity!  For,  of 
all  the  snares  which  the  enemy  of  mankind  lays  for 
the  destruction  of  mankind,  especially  in  youth,  none 
proves  in  his  hands  so  successful  a  weapon  for  the  ruin 
of  souls,  as  impurity.  This  is  the  vice  which  deluges 
the  world  wnth  iniquity,  and  fills  hell  with  souls.  Were 
we  permitted  to  take  a  view  of  the  miserable  wretch- 
es who  are  already  condemned  to  that  place  of  woe^ 


112  ELEVENTH  HOMILY  ON 

and  to  see  at  the  same  time  the  cause  of  their  suffer- 
ings, I  am  convinced  tliat  we  should  find  by  lar  the 
greater  part  of  them  suffering  for  some  sin  of  lust. 
Even  in  this  life  the  Almighty  has  frequendy  execut- 
ed the  severest  of  his  visible  judgments,  as  the  holy 
•Scriptures  abundantly  testify.  The  universal  deluge 
which  drowned  all  mankind,  with  the  exception  of 
eight  persons;  the  lire  and  brimstone  that  consumed 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah;  and  the  husbands  of  Sarah  de- 
livered over  to  the  power  of  the  devil,  are  lasting 
proofs  of  the  abomination  in  which  God  holds  all  im- 
purity. As  none  but  the  clean  of  heart  will  be  admit- 
ted to  the  presence  of  his  glory;  so  none  but  the  clean 
of  heart,  those  whose  souls  are  adorned  with  chastity, 
will  enjoy  in  this  life  the  presence  of  his  grace,  his 
favour,  and  his  protection.  Every  unclean  person, 
whose  heart  is  stained  with  any  of  the  filthy  defile- 
ments of  lust,  is  an  object  of  detestation  in  the  divine 
sight.  God  withdraws  his  gifts  and  graces  from  such 
souls,  and  delivers  them,  as  he  did  the  husbands  of 
Sarah,  to  the  power  of  Satan,  by  giving  them  up  to 
the  fury  of  their  passions,  and  permitting  those  dread- 
ful effects  to  ensue,  which  are  the  dismal  consequen- 
ces of  impurity,  viz.  a  disrelish  for  prayer  and  spir- 
itual exercises,  a  neglect  of  the  sacraments,  a  hardness 
of  heart,  an  obstinacy  in  sin,  and  that  final  impenitence 
which  sets  the  seal  to  the  sinner's  eternal  reprobation. 
What  numbers  of  young  persons  have  we  ourselves 
known,  my  beloved  brethren,  who  once  walked  in  the 
path  of  innocence  and  purity,  and  promised  a  life  of 
virtue  conducting  to  an  eternity  of  bliss,  but  suddenly 
stopped  short  in  their  progress,  and  were  seen  gradu- 
ly  to  sink  into  the  depth  of  vice  and  iniquity.  To 
what  fatal  snare  was  this  their  misfortune  owing.''  Was 
it  not  to  the  detestable  sin  of  impurity;  the  seeds  of 
which  were  sown  in  their  yet  tender  minds,  either  in 
•those  moments  when  their  parents,  neglectful  of  their 
trust,  kept  no  watch  over  them  in  their  hours  of  lei- 


THE  BOOK  OP  TOBIAS.  113 

sure,  sleep,  amusement,  and  company,  or  when  they 
themselves,  thoughtless  of  danger,  ventured  into  the 
society  of  the  abandoned  and  impure?     Like  the  spot- 
less lily,  which  is  sullied  by  the  breath,  chastity  will 
not  bear  the  breath  of  the  unclean  sinner,  but  quickly 
fades  belbre  it,  and  is  lost.  The  only  means  of  preserv- 
ing the  inestimable  treasure  of  purity,  are,  a  diligent 
attention  to  those  exercises  of  religion  which  increase 
and  preserve  the  innocence  of  the  soul — prayer  and 
the  sacraments;  and  a  vigilent  flying  from  the  occasions 
of  this  sin,  more  especially  from  the  company  of  those, 
who  by  their  evil  discourse,  immodest  jests  and  songs, 
or  indecent  behaviour  and  improper  liberties,  are  the 
instruments  of  the  devil  in  instilling  the  poison  of  this 
vice  into  the  breasts  of  young  persons.     The  conduct 
of  Sarah  is,  on  this  point,  an  admirable  pattern  for 
youth      The  care  with  which  she  had  slnmtied  the 
company  of  the  unchaste,  proved,  under  God,  the  se- 
curity of  her  virtue;  and  the  consciousness  of  her  past 
fidelity  gave  her  consolation  in  her  distress,  and  affor- 
ded her  a  well-grounded  hope  of  the  protection  of  hea- 
ven.    She  calls  God  to  witness,  not  only  tliat  she  had 
kept  her  heart  free  from  the  defilements  of  lust,  but 
that  she  had  carefully  avoided  the  society  of  all  such 
as  by  their  levity  of  behaviour  or  conversation  might 
have  proved  a  snare  to  her  innocence;  and  had  abstain- 
ed from  those   diversions  and  amusements  which  are 
too  often  the  incentives  to  vice,  such  as  promiscuous 
dancing,  which  is  particularly  signified  by  the  Latin 
text  of  this  passage — ludere.     What  a  reproach  is  the 
conduct  of   this   virtuous   person  to  those   Christian 
young  women,  who,  careless  of  danger,  and  without 
choice  of  company,  run  with  so  much  eagerness  to  an 
amusement,  which  this  faithful  servant  of  God  avoided 
as  a  rock  fatal  to  innocence!     "Never,"  says  she,  "did 
I  join  with  them  that  play;  neither  have  I  made  my- 
self partaker  with  them  that  walk  in  lightness." 
10* 


114  ELEVENTH  HOMILY  ON 

Ver.   18.     A  husband  indeed  I  consented  to  take,  with  thy  fear, 
not  with  my  lust. 

When  arrived  at  a  proper  age,  Sarah  entered  into 
the  married  state,  not  from  any  worldly  or  criminal 
ny)tive,  but,  having  the  fear  of  God  before  her  eyes, 
with  that  uprightness  of  intention,  and  with  that  holy 
preparation,  which  always  secure  the  blessing  of  hea- 
en.  A  want  of  these  holy  dispositions  on  the  part  of 
her  husbands,  was  the  occasion  of  their  temporal  and 
eternal  destruction.  But  in  speaking  of  them,  Sarah 
pretends  not  to  inquire  into,  or  to  fathom  the  ways  of 
Providence. 

Ver.   19.     And  either  1  was  unworthy  of  them,  or  they  perhaps 
were  not  worthy  of  me:  because  perhaps  thou  hast  kept  me  for 

another  man 20.  For  thy  counse!  is  not  in  man's  power..  .. 

21.  But  this  every  one  is  sure  of  that  worshippelh  thee  that 
his  life,  if  it  be  under  trial,  shall  be  crowned:  and  if  it  be  un- 
der tribulation,  it  shall  be  delivered;  and  if  it  be  under  correc- 
tion, shall  be  allowed  to  come  to  thy  mercy. 

Sarah,  full  of  humility,  is  willing  to  ascribe  the 
death  of  her  husbands  to  her  own  uiiworthiness,  but 
professes  her  ignorance  of  the  designs  of  Providence, 
whose  counsels  are  placed  far  above  the  reach  of 
man's  weak  understanding.  If  vvc  aie  truly  animated 
with  the  spirit  of  the  servants  of  God,  we  shall  be 
content  with  knowing  and  acknowledging,  as  Sarah 
did,  that  all  the  dispensations  of  God  towards  his  ser- 
vants are  designed  for  (heir  good.  If  he  tries  them 
in  this  life,  he  will  reward  their  fidelity  in  the  next; 
if  he  send  them  afflictions,  it  is  but  for  a  short  season; 
at  most,  for  the  continuance  of  their  short  lived  exis- 
tence here  below,  and  then  death  will  be  to  them  the 
entrance  into  a  happiniss  uncliangeable  and  everlast- 
ing. In  fine,  if  he  chastise  them  for  their  faults,  his 
punishments  operate  as  a  salutary  medicine,  restoring 
liealth  and  vigour  to  the  soul,  and  drawmg  down  mer- 
cy to  the  humbled  penitent.     For  God,  as  he  himself 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  115 

declares  by  his  prophet  Ivzekiel,  wills  not  the  death 
of  sinners,  but  is  desirous  of  their  conversion.  He 
is  not  an  enemy  that  delights  in  our  pain;  he  is  a  ten- 
der parent  even  when  he  inflicts  his  scourges  He 
disturbs,  the  quiet  of  our  souls  by  raising  in  them  the 
most  alarming  apperhensions  of  hisjustice,  that,  awak- 
ened to  a  sense  of  our  danger,  we  may  undertake  the 
work  of  our  repentance,  and  restore  peace  to  our  con- 
sciences. He  excites  in  us  the  terrors  and  the  anguish 
of  a  bitter  contrition,  that,  being  reconciled  to  him, 
we  may  taste  that  pure  joy  which  is  the  fruit  of  the 
holy  tears  that  accompany  a  sincere  repentance.  In 
all  his  dispensations  he  seeks  our  good,  and  in  every 
circumstance  oi'  our  lives  he  therefore  most  justly  de- 
serves our  heartf(^it  praise  and  thanksgiving.  Impress- 
ed with  these  sentiments,  Sarah  concludes  her  prayer 
with  these  words: 

Ver.  23.     For  thou  art  not  delig!ited  in  our  being  lost,  because 
after  a  storm  tliou  makest  a  caliiu  uud  after  tears  and  weeping 

thou   pourest  in  joyfulness 23.  Be   thy  name,  0   God    of 

Israel,  blessed  for  ever. 

The  holy  Scripture  assures  us,  that  the  prayer  of 
Sarah,  like  that  of  Tobias,  was  accepted  of  by  Al- 
mighty God: 

Ver.  24.     .\t  t!iat  time  the  prayers  of  them  both  were  heard  in 

the  sight  of  the  glory  of  the  most  high  God 25.    And  the 

holy  Angel  of  the  Lord,  Raphael,  was  sent  to  heal  them  both, 
whose  prayers  at  one  time  were  rehearsed  in  the  sight  of  the 
Lord. 

The  petitions  which  these  two  holy  servants  of  God 
addressed  to  him  in  the  same  spirit  of  faith  in  his 
power  and  goodness,  and  the  same  humble  submission 
to  the  orders  of  his  Providence,  ascended  as  a  rich 
perfume  to  the  throne  of  his  mercy,  and  were  present- 
ed to  him  by  the  ministry  of  Angels,  those  blessed 
"spirits  who  are  appointed  to  minister  for  them  that 
shall  receive  the  inheritance  of  salvation."     Heb.  i.  14. 


1 1  6  ELEVENTH  HOMILY  ON 

The  Angels  are  spirits  created  by  Almighty  God 
for  tiie  participation  of  his  own  glory,  are  ennployed 
by  him  in  promoting  his  merciful  designs  towards  us, 
and  destined  one  day  to  be  our  fellow-members  in 
bliss.  Their  number  is  countless.  The  prophet 
Daniel,  and  St.  John  in  the  Revelations,  represent 
millions  of  millions  of  these  holy  spirits  constantly 
employed  in  praising  and  adoring  the  Author  of  their 
happiness,  and  in  executing  his  will.  St.  Paul,  as 
above  quoted,  tells  us,  that  the  Angels  are  the  minis- 
ters of  God,  sent  by  him  to  exercise  their  holy  othce 
for  his  elect.  It  was  by  the  ministry  of  Angels  that 
the  law  was  given  to  the  Jews,  Acts  vii ;  and  an  Angel, 
invested  with  God"'s  authority,  conducted  liis  peo()le 
through  the  desert  into  the  land  of  promise.  Exod. 
xxiii.  20.  Angels  present  the  prayers  of  the  faithful 
before  the  throne  ol  mercy,  as  the  books  of  Tobias 
and  the  Revelations  inform  us.  These  holy  spirits  are 
sometimes  recorded  to  have  been  the  ministers  of 
God's  justice  in  the  punishment  of  his  enemies,  as  in 
the  destruction  of  Sodom,  the  death  of  the  first-born 
in  Egypt,  and  the  slaughter  ot  the  army  of  Senna- 
cherib before  Jerusalem.  Moreover,  it  is  a  truth 
founded  on  the  words  of  holy  Scripture,  and  constant- 
ly delivered  in  the  writings  of  the  Fathers  and  the  un- 
interrupted tradition  of  the  Church,  that  we  have  each 
of  us  an  angel  appointed  by  God  to  be  our  guardian 
and  protector.  Thus  in  the  90th  Psalm,  holy  David 
says  of  those  who  trust  in  God,  "that  He  has  given 
his  Angels  charge  over  them  to  keep  them  in  all  their 
ways;"  and  in  the  33d  Psalm,  ver.  8,  he  tells  us,  "that 
the  Angels  of  the  Lord  encamp  round  about  them  that 
fear  him."  Secondly,  Jesus  Christ  himself,  speaking 
of  little  children,  says,  "Their  Angels  who  are  in 
heaven,  always  see  the  face  of  my  Father  who  is  in 
heaven,"  .Matt,  xviii.  10.  Lastly,  in  the  12th  chap, 
of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  it  is  recorded,  that  when 
Peter  was  released  from  prison  in  a  miraculous  man- 
ner, and  repaired  to  a  house  where  the  faithful  were 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  117 

met  to  pray,  they  at  first  thought  it  was  his  Angel; 
which  clearly  shews  that  the  f  'st  Christians  believed 
in  the  doctrine  that  each  one  of  the  faithful  has  an 
Angel  guardian.  Thus,  while  the  evil  spiiits  are  con- 
tinually plotting  our  destruction,  the  good  Angels,  by 
the  appointment  of  divine  Providence,  lend  us  their 
powerful  assistance,  discover  to  us  the  snares  of  our 
malicious  enemies,  protect  us  in  the  hour  of  danger, 
recall  to  us  pious  thoughts  and  past  good  resolutions; 
aid  us  in  conquering  our  passions,  overcoming  tempta- 
tions, and  vanquishing  our  enemies;  and  conduct  us 
safe  in  our  journey  through  the  desert  of  this  life  to 
the  land  of  promise,  the  heavenly  Jerusale  n.  '  Mi! 
adorable  goodness  of  our  God,  which  has  provided 
such  admirable  means  of  advancing  our  happiness! 
Oh!  holy  presence  of  our  guardian  Angel!  how  power- 
fully ought  the  thoughts  of  his  presence  to  encourage 
us  in  the  path  of  virtue!  In  every  action,  in  every 
place,  cries  out  St.  Bernard,  be  mindful  tliat  you  are  in 
company  of  your  guardian  Angel,  and  oflend  him  not. 
Da  not  in  his  presence  that  which  you  would  be 
ashamed  to  do  in  mine.  The  constant  recollection  of 
the  presence  of  your  guardian  Angel  will  provt  to  you 
a  most  powerful  protection  agaiiist  the  tonipiations  of 
lust,  and  preserve  you  in  that  spotless  purily,  which 
will  always  ensure  to  you  the  divine  protection,  as  it 
did  to  the  virtuous  Sarah.  God  received  her  prayer 
in  her  affliction,  and  sent  one  of  the  Arcb-angels,  or 
chief  spirits  of  his  heavenly  court,  for  her  deliverance 
and  that  of  the  virtuous  Tobias.  Raphael,  signifies  a 
physician  sent  from  God.  V^  e  admire  the  goodness  of 
Providence  in  dispatching  an  Angel  for  the  relief  of 
his  servants.  Let  us  not  forget,  that  for  our  relief, 
and  the  cure  of  our  spiritual  infirmities,  he  sent  down, 
not  an  angel,  but  his  own  consubstantial  Son,  and  de- 
livered him  up  to  death  for  us,  "that  he  might  redeem 
us  from  all  iniquity,  and  might  cleanse  us  to  himself  a 
people  acceptable,  a  pursuer  of  good  works."  Titus 
ii.  3. 


118  TWELFTH  HOMILY   ON 


TWELFTH  HOMILY 

Chap.  IV.  ver.  1.   Then  Tobias  thinking;  that  his  prayer  was  heard 

that  he  might  die,  called  to  him  Tobias  his  son, 2.  And  said 

to  him,  Hear,  my  son,  the    words  of  my  moulh,  and  lay  them 
as  a  foundation  in  thy  lieart. 

We  now  return  to  the  history  of  the  good  Tobias. 
This  holy  man,  fearing  the  dangers  and  temptations  of 
a  wicked  wovki,  and  finding  himself,  in  consequence 
of  liis  blindness,  no  longer  able  to  pursue  his  ac- 
customed exercises  of  charity,  prayed  earnestly  that 
he  might  die,  if  it  were  the  \vill  of  lieaven.  The  holy 
Scripture  as;  u res  us,  that  his  prayer  was  heard  by  Al- 
mighty God,  who  always  accepts  the  petitions  which 
are  presented  to  him  with  a  perfect  conformity  to  his 
will  The  eft'ect,  however,  of  his  prayer  was  not  that 
which  Tobia.s  expected  from  it.  For  as  the  servants 
of  God  pray  >vith  an  entire  submission  of  their  own 
will  to  the  will  of  Providence,  leaving  it  to  Almighty 
God  to  ordain  what  is  most  for  his  glory  and  their 
goon,  so  G'"l  sometimes  regards  more  that  humble 
colilbrmity  ol  their  will,  than  I  lie  requests  which  they 
actually  present  to  him.  He  knows  that  his  own  glory 
is  the  great  object  of  the  desires  of  his  servants;  if 
therefore  he  rel'uses  the  immediate  subject  of  their  pe- 
tition, it  is  only  to  substitute  in  its  place  the  grant  of 
some  favour  more  conducive  to  liis  glory,  and  more 
agreeable  to  the  designs  of  his  mercy  towards  them. 
Such  was  tlie  order  of  his  Providence  towards  the 
virtuous  Tobias.  This  holy  man,  tliinking  that  his 
prayer  was  heard,  and  humbly  confiding  that  God 
would  soon  call  him  to  the  reward  of  his  labours,  be- 
gan to  dispose  himself  for  his  departure  out  of  this 
world. — To  prepare  for  death  ought  indeed  to  be  the 
business  of  our  whole  lives,  and  the  Saints  of  God  are 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  119 

careful  to  make  it  so,  according-  to  the  advice  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  "in  all  ihy  ways  remember  thy  last 
things,  and  thou  shalt  never  sin."  But  in  drawing 
near  to  their  last  moments,  the  Saints  redouble  their 
fervour  in  the  divine  service,  and  are  more  earnest  in 
setting  their  house  in  order  to  attend  the  summons  of 
their  great  Lord,  who  is  about  to  demand  an  account 
of  their  stewardship.  Sensible  of  the  strict  account 
which  he  should  be  required  to  give  of  the  manner  in 
which  he  had  discharged  the  obligations  of  a  parent, 
Tobias  called  to  him  his  only  son,  whom  he  had  train- 
ed in  the  path  of  virtue,  to  complete  his  destruction, 
and  to  impress  more  deeply  on  his  youthful  mind  the 
lessons  of  piety  which  were  already  implanted  in  his 
breast.  The  young  Tobias  was  at  this  time  about 
twenty  years  of  age.  His  fatlier,  much  reduced  in  his 
circumstances,  had  now  little  else  to  bequealh  him  but 
his  virtue.  Happy,  however,  is  the  parent  who  on 
the  bed  of  death  can  leave  such  a  legacy  to  his  chil- 
dren, confirmed  and  supjorted  by  a  life  f;ill  of  good 
example!  And  thrice  happy  are  the  children,  who 
falling  heirs  to  so  rich  an  inheritance  of  virtue,  culti- 
vate and  improve  it  like  the  young  Tobias!  Let  us 
consider  the  advice  which  Tobias  gave  to  his  son,  as 
addressed  to  ourselves,  and  according  to  the  directions 
of  this  holy  man,  treasure  it  up  in  our  hearts  as  a  solid 
foundation  for  a  life  of  virtue. 

When  his  son  drew  near  him  in  obedience  to  his 
call,  Tobias,  before  he  began  his  last  instruction  to 
him,  gave  him  directions  respecting  his  own  and  his 
wife's  funeral  in  these  words: 

Ver.  3.     When  God  shall  take  my  soul,  thou  shall  bury  my  body: 

and  thou  shalt  honour  thy  mother  all  the  days  of  her  life  : 

4.  For  thou  must  be   mindful  whit  and  how  great  perils  she 

suffered  for  thee  in  her  womb 5.  And  when  she  also  shall 

have  ended  her  time,  bury  her  by  me. 

Though  the  Saints  of  (iod  are  well  assured  by  di- 
vine faith,  that  God  by  his  almighty  power  will   re- 


1 20  TWELFTH  HOMILY  ON 

store  them  their  bodies  at  the  last  day,  and  are  there- 
fore little  solicitous  what  becomes  of"  them  after  death, 
being  willing',  if  it  be  for  the  glory  of  God,  to  resign 
them  to  the  flames,  or  give  their  ashes  to  the  winds; 
yet  they  do  not  condemn,  but  highly  approve  of  the 
respect  which  is  paid  to  departed  friends,  in  the  care- 
ful and  decent  interment  of  their  bodies.  Tobias, 
therefore,  gives  directions  for  his  own  burial;  and,  as  a 
pattern  of  that  regard  to  his  wife  which  he  recom- 
mends to  his  son,  desires  that  their  bodies  may  rest  in 
the  same  grave.  Then  reminding  his  son  of  the  af- 
fection which  he  owes  to  his  parents,  he  exhorts  him 
to  honour  his  mother  all  the  days  of  her  life.  "For," 
says  he,  "thou  must  be  mindful  what  and  how  great 
things  she  sufliei-ed  for  thee  in  her  womb."  The  love 
and  affection  which  animals  bear  to  those  from  whom 
they  received  their  birth,  last  but  for  a  short  duration, 
till  the  young  are  able  to  supply  tiieir  own  wants;  but 
the  love  of  children  towards  their  parents,  is  a  duty  that' 
continues  binding  until  death.  Jesus  Christ,  our  teach- 
er- and  our  model,  is  an  admirable  pattern  in  his  hum- 
ble subjection  to  his  blessed  mother  and  St.  Joseph,  of 
that  filial  love,  respect,  and  obedience,  which  God  re- 
quir-es  fi'om  childr-en  to  their  parents.  For  all  these 
duties  are  included  in  that  of  '/iono?<r,'  which  God  en- 
joins by  the  words  of  the  commandment.  \  es.  Chris- 
tian children,  as  you  hope  for  the  blessing  of  heaven 
in  this  life,  and  a  share  in  the  kingdom  of  your  Saviour 
hereafter,  you  are  bound,  during  the  whole  course  of 
your  lives,  to  imitate  his  holy  example  in  your  conduct 
towards  your  parents.  To  them,  under  God,  you  are 
indebted  for  the  most  valuable  of  all  blessings,  life 
itself  What  anguish  and  pain  did  it  cost  your  mothers 
to  bring  you  into  the  world!  What  toils  and  labour 
did  youi-  parents  endure  to  support  you  in  your  help- 
less infancy;  with  what  anxiety  did  they  watch  over 
your  tender  years !  And  do  you  not  feel  in  return  the 
most  tender  and  affectionate  love  and  reverence  for 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  121 

them?  Oh!  as  you  value  your  own  happiness,  attend 
to  the  words  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  (in  the  3d  chapter  of 
Ecclesiasticus,  ver  8,)  and  faithfully  practise  them  in 
your  lives:  "He  that  feareth  the  Lord,  will  honour  his 
father  and  mother,  and  will  serve  them  as  his  masters 
all  the  days  of  his  life."  "Honour  thy  father  in  thy 
actions,  thy  words,  and  in  all  patience,  that  he  may 
bless  thee,  and  his  blessing  may  remain  with  thee  to 
the  end. — >iy  sou,  comfort  thy  father  in  his  old  age, 
and  give  him  no  sorrow  during  his  whole  life.  If  his 
understanding  grow  weak,  bear  with  him;  and  do  not 
despise  him  because  of  the  advantage  which  thou  hast 
over  him;  for  tlie  charity  which  thou  siiewest  thy 
parent,  shall  not  be  forgotten;"  that  is,  God  will  hold 
it  in  remembrance,  and  will  amply  repay  thee  for  it. — 
The  Almighty  looks  with  a  jealous  eye  upon  the  be- 
haviour of  children  to  their  j)arents-  whom  he  has  sub- 
stituted in  his  own  place,  to  watch  over  them  and  pro- 
vide for  them.  The  holy  Scripture  is  full  of  the  di- 
vine promises  of  blessings,  both  temporal  and  eternal, 
to  those  children  that  are  dutiful  to  their  parents;  and 
at  the  same  time  threatens  the  severest  of  judgments 
for  time  and  eternity  upon  those  who  are  wanting  in 
the  fulfilment  of  these  sacred  obligations.  Do  you 
then,  my  dear  children  who  now  hear  me,  in  the  whole 
course  of  your  lives,  religiously  observe  the  injunc- 
tions of  that  commandment  which  says,  "-^onour  thy 
father  and  thy  mother."  Shew  an  inviolable  respect 
to  your  parents  in  all  your  words  and  actions,  careful- 
ly abstaining  from  all  harsh  unbecoming  language  to- 
wards them.  Love  them  with  the  most  sincere  affec- 
tion, compassionating  them  in  their  sufferings,  relieving 
them  in  their  distresses,  procuring  them  comfort  both 
spiritual  and  temporal,  and,  above  all,  daily  praying 
for  them.  Obey  them  in  all  their  orders,  wherever 
this  obedience  would  not  be  contrary  to  any  duty 
which  you  owe  to  God;  consult  with  them  in  all  the 
principal  occurrences  and  transactions  of  vour  lives, 
11 


l22 


TWELFTH   HOMILY  ON 


and  faithfully  comply  with  their  advice  and  directions. 
The  holy  patriarchs,  Isaac,  Jacob,  and  others  record- 
ed in  the  holy  Scripture,  were  admirable  patterns  of 
these  duties,  even  after  they  were  married  and  ad- 
vanced in  years.  The  same  fidelity  St.  Paul  recom- 
mends to  all  Christians:  "Children,  obey  your  parents 
in  all  things,  for  this  is  well  pleasing  to  the  Lord," 
But  in  thus  recalling  the  attention  of  the  cliildren  to 
their  obligations,  let  me  remind  vou,  Christian  parents, 
that  the  fidelity  of  childrea  in  lulfiUing  their  duties  de- 
pends principally  upon  your  faithfully  discharging  the 
important  trust  reposed  in  you.  Like  the  good  Tobias, 
train  them  up  in  the  way  of  virtue,  teach  them  to  ab- 
stain from  sin,  and,  above  all,  give  them  an  edifying 
example  of  obedience  to  the  commands  of  God  and 
his  Church.  Then,  like  that  holy  man,  you  will  be 
blessed  with  a  family  whose  virtues  will  be  a  source 
of  enjoyment  to  you  during  life,  a  solace  in  your  de- 
clining years,  and  one  of  your  sweetest  consolations 
in  the  hour  of  death.  '1  o  succeed  in  tliis  truly  im- 
portant affair,  impress  upon  the  tender  minds  of  your 
children  that  great  truth  wiiich  Tobias  carefully  incul- 
cated to  his  son,  as  the  ground-\voik  of  his  instruc- 
tions, viz.  a  continued  sense  of  the  presence  of  God. 

Ver.  6.  All  tlie  days  of  thy  life,  (said  this  good  man  to  his  son,) 
have  God  in  thy  mind:  and  take  heed  thou  never  consent  to  sin, 
nor  transgress  the  commandments  of  ihc  Lord  our  God. 

For  one  of  the  best  preservatives  of  virtue,  and  con- 
sequently one  of  the  best  means  of  preventing  sin,  is, 
to  have  God  always  in  our  mind;  to  think  of  him  in  all 
our  ways;  to  adore  him  in  all  the  orders  of  his  Provi- 
dence; to  meditate  daily  on  his  holy  law;  to  consult  his 
will,  by  prayer,  in  all  our  undertakings;  and  to  con- 
sider his  adorable  eye  as  ever  beholding  us;  that  thus 
we  may  be  careful  never  to  transgress  his  law,  not 
from  the  influence  of  a  servile  fear  of  punishment,  but 
moved  and  guided  by  a  filial  love  of  him,  our  tender 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  123 

and  indulgent  Parent,  and  placing  our  greatest  happi- 
ness in  fulfilling  his  lioly  will.  Where  is  the  wretch 
who  would  wnlfully  fly  in  the  face  of  his  Creator, 
profane  his  name,  call  down  his  curses,  defile  himself 
with  heastly  drunkenness,  or  those  more  filthy  impuri- 
ties which  lie  seeks  to  conceal  in  the  darkness  of  the 
night  from  the  eyes  of  his  fellow-creatures,  did  he  at 
the  moment  behold  the  all-seeing  eye  of  that  God  who 
searches  the  reins  and  the  hearts,  and  to  whom  nothing 
is  invisible,  looking  down  upon  him,  and  the  arm  of 
his  justice  stretched  out  against  him?  Oh!  that  while 
I  am  recalling  to  your  minds  this  salutary  truth  of  the 
Omnipresence  of  God,  I  had  a  voice  that  could  pene- 
trate into  the  remotest  corners  of  the  earth,  and  the 
most  secret  haunts  of  sinners,  and  impress  every  one 
with  a  feeling  sense  of  the  presence  of  the  Deity! 
May  you,  at  least,  my  beloved  brethren,  be  mindful  of 
this  truth  in  every  circumstance  of  your  lives,  and  be 
you  careful  to  instil  it  from  the  earliest  years  into  the 
minds  of  your  children! 

After  inculcating  to  his  son  this  great  foundation  of 
the  fear  and  love  of  God,  Tobias  imparts  to  him  most 
excellent  advice  for  the  practice  of  the  important  duty 
of  giving  alms  to  the  poor.  He  first  acquaints  him 
with  the  obligation  of  exercising  this  branch  of  frater- 
nal charity,  and  then  encourages  him  to  the  fulfilment 
of  it,  by  pointing  out  the  advantages  which  it  pro- 
duces to  the  soul. 

Ver.  7.  Give  alms  out  of  thy  substance,  and  turn  not  away  thy 
face  from  any  poor  person:  fur  so  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  the 
face  of  the  Lord  shall  not  be  turned  from  thee 8.  Accord- 
ing to  thy  ability  be   merciful 9.   If  thou    have  much  give 

abundantly,  if  thou  have   little,  take  care  even  so  to  bestow 
willingly  a  little. 

To  relieve  the  distresses  of  our  fellow-creatures, 
and  to  afford  charity  to  those  who  stand  in  need  of  it, 
is  a  duty  of  strict  obligation,  pointed  out  to  us  both 
by  rhe  law  of  nature  and  the  gospel.     God,  who  is 


124  TWELFTH   HOMILY  ON 

the  common  Father  of  all  mankind,  has  bestowed  upon 
some  of  his  creatures  a  greater  siiare  of  temporal 
blessings  than  he  has  given  to  others,  that  those  whom 
he  has  thus  blessed  may  imitate  his  bounty,  and  acting 
as  faithful  stewards  of  him  the  Sovereign  Lord,  may 
deserve  from  him  an  eternal  recompense  in  heaven,  by 
faithfully  contributing  to  the  support  of  those  whom 
his  Providence  has  placed  in  a  more  dependent  situa- 
tion. But,  lest  man,  blinded  by  avarice  and  passion, 
should  forget  this  to  be  a  point  of  duty  and  obligation, 
and  should  look  upon  it  as  a  matter  of  free  choice, 
Almighty  God,  both  in  the  Old  and  New  Law,  has 
made  it  a  positive  precept;  declaring  to  us,  that  the 
neglect  of  it  provokes  God  to  inflict  his  severest 
judgments  in  this  life,  and  entails  upon  the  soul  eternal 
damnation  in  the  world  to  come.  Our  divine  Re- 
deemer, in  the  parable  of  the  rich  glutton,  Luke  xvi. 
and  still  more  clearly  in  the  account  of  the  last  judg- 
ment, gives  us  to  understand,  that  our  sentence  of 
endless  happiness  or  everlasting  misery  depends  chiefly 
upon  our  fidelity  or  neglect  in  fulfilling  the  precept  of 
giving  alms.  Matt.  xxv. — Every  one,  therefore,  who 
has  the  goods  of  this  world,  is  strictly  bound  to  employ 
a  part  of  them  in  relieving  the  wants  of  others.  To 
neglect  this,  the  Holy  Ghost  declares  is  a  certain  proof 
that  the  soul  loves  not  God.  "If  any  one,"  says  the 
beloved  disciple,  St.  John,  "has  the  goods  of  this 
world,  and,  seeing  a  brother  in  want,  shuts  up  his 
bowels  against  him,  how  is  it  possible  that  the  love  of 
God  should  abide  within  him?  Let  us  not  love  them, 
in  word  only  and  in  tongue,  but  in  deed  and  in  truth." 
Imitate,  my  beloved  brethren,  in  this  point,  the  conduct 
of  the  first  Christians,  by  making,  as  they  did,  charity 
a  part  of  your  duty  on  the  Lord's  day.  In  the  primi- 
tive ages  of  the  Church,  on  every  Sunday,  a  collec- 
tion for  the  relief  of  the  poor  was  made  from  all  who 
assisted  at  divine  service  To  prevent  the  confusion 
which  often  attended  such  collections,  the  practice 


THE    BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  125 

was  afterwards  adopted  of  fixing  in  chapels  and 
churches  a  box,  called  the  Poors'  Box,  into  which  the 
faithful  might,  without  disturbing  one  another,  put  the 
offerings  of  their  charity,  to  be  employed  by  their 
pastor  in  the  relief  of  the  distressed.  Never,  there- 
fore, leave  the  house  of  God  on  Sundays  without  ad- 
ding at  least  one  penny  to  the  property  of  your  poor 
brethren.  Besides  this,  be  in  the  disposition  of  mind 
to  administer  relief  to  every  one  as  far  as  lies  in  your 
power,  according  to  the  advice  of  Tobias,  "turn  not 
away  thy  face  from  any  poor  person."  Every  dis- 
tressed fellow-creature  has  a  claim  upon  our  charity, 
and  whenever  we  meet  with  such  an  one,  if  we  are 
able  we  should  give  him  an  alms.  If  it  lies  not  in  our 
power,  through  our  own  poverty,  to  afford  him  tempo- 
ral relief,  we  must  never  turn  away  our  face  from  him 
with  any  contempt  or  harsh  language,  but  manifest  a 
pity  and  compassion  for  his  distresses,  and  signify  at 
least  our  good  will  towards  him. 

After  shewing  the  obligation  of  charity  to  the  poor, 
Tobias  lays  down  the  best  rule  that  can  be  given  for 
the  satisfying  of  it:  "Be  merciful  according  to  thy 
ability."  What  would  be  sufficient  in  one  person  for 
the  fulfilment  of  this  duty,  would  not  suffice  in  another. 
"From  him  to  whom  more  has  been  given,  more  will 
be  required."  Whatever  we  possess  more  than  is  ne- 
cessary for  our  support  and  that  of  our  families,  is  to 
be  considered  as  entrusted  to  our  care  for  the  relief 
of  the  necessitous.  If  then  we  have  much,  we  must 
bestow  in  proportion;  if  little,  we  are  still  to  spare  a 
little  with  cheerfulness  of  heart,  "For  God  loveth  a 
cheerful  giver."  2  Cor.  ix.  7.  It  is  the  misfortune  of 
the  greater  part  of  those  who  possess  worldly  riches, 
that  they  measure  their  wants,  not  by  the  calls  of  na- 
ture, but  the  cries  of  avarice,  luxury,  ambition,  and 
worldly  pomp;  and  hence  too  often  persuade  them- 
selves, when  invited  to  the  exercise  of  charity,  that 
they  have  nothing  to  spare.  In  this  they  are  unjust 
11* 


126  TWELFTH  HOMILY  ON 

stewards;  and  however  exemplary  their  lives  may  have 
been  in  other  points,  this  waste  and  misapplication  of 
their  Lord's  goods  and  their  neglect  of  the  poor  mem- 
bers of  his  family,  will  prove  to  them,  as  it  did  to  the 
rich  glutton,  their  condemnation  to  everlasting  tlames. 

"Be  ye  then  merciful  according  to  your  abilities.'" 
This  is  the  rule  of  Christian  charity,  a  rule  from  which 
no  one  is  exempted  however  poor.  For  mercy  con- 
sists, not  only  in  giving  money  or  meat  and  drink  to 
such  as  are  in  distress,  we  shew  mercy  when  we  con- 
tribute in  any  way  to  the  temporal  or  spiritual  welfare 
of  our  neighbour,  in  giving  him  good  advice,  in  com- 
forting him  under  his  afflictions,  in  procuring  his  con- 
version from  the  ways  of  sin,  in  advancing  him  in  the 
path  to  salvation,  in  praying  for  him,  and  in  forgiving 
the  injuries  which  we  meet  from  our  fellow-creatures. 
These  are  acts  of  charity  of  the  highest  order,  which 
it  is  in  the  power  of  every  one  to  perform,  at  least  in 
some  one  or  other  of  the  branches  which  I  have  here 
mentioned. 

JVJindful  then,  my  beloved  brethren,  of  the  account 
which,  at  the  hour  of  death,  you  must  give  of  your 
stewardship,  let  it  be  the  daily  business  of  your  lives 
to  dispose  yourselves  for  it  by  a  strict  fidelity  in  the 
fulfilment  of  all  your  obligations.  Walk  always  as  in 
the  presence  of  that  God  who  filleth  the  heavens  and 
the  earth,  and  who  holds  in  his  hand  the  thread  of  your 
existence.  Embrace  with  joy  the  opportunities  which 
heaven  affords  you  of  opening  to  yourselves  the  trea- 
sures of  its  grace,  by  the  faithful  exercise  of  the  works 
of  mercy;  thus  making  to  yourselves  '-friends  of  the 
mammon  of  iniquity,  that  when  you  fail,  they  may  re- 
ceive you  into  everlasting  mansions."  Luke  xvi.  9, 


THE  BOOK  Of-    TOBIAS.  127 


THIRTEENTH  HOMIL7 

Chap.  If.  ver.  10.     For  thus  thou  storest  up  to  thj-self  a  good  re- 
ward for  the  day  of  necessity 11.  For  alms  deliver  frona 

all  sin  and  from  death,  and  will   not  suffer  the  soul  to  go  into 

darkness 12.  Alms  shall  be  a  great  confidence  before  the 

Most  High  God,  to  all  them  that  give  it. 

The  holy  Tobias,  hashing  inculcated  lo  his  son  the 
duty  of  giving  alnis  to  the  poor  according  to  his  ability, 
encourages  him  to  be  faithful  in  fulfilling  this  obliga- 
tion, by  setting  befure  him  the  great  spiritual  advant- 
ages which  are  derived  from  the  practice  of  tliis  branch 
of  charity.  Indeed,  if  God  had  not  made  it  a  precept 
of  his  holy  law,  that  we  should  relieve  our  distressed 
fellow-creatures,  the  advantages  alone  which  flow  to 
us  from  the  exercise  of  this  virtue  ought  to  induce  us 
religiously  to  practise  it.  The  measure  of  God's 
mercy  towards  us  will  be  proportioned  to  the  mercy 
which  we  have  shewn  to  our  neighbour.  "Give,  and 
it  shall  be  given  to  you;  for  with  the  same  measure 
that  you  shall  measure  to  others,  it  shall  be  measured 
to  you  again."  Luke  vi.  38.  It  is  then  most  undoubt- 
edly true,  that  he  who  gives  an  alms,  reaps  a  much 
greater  benetit  than  he  who  leceives  it;  so  pleasing  is 
charity  in  the  divine  sight,  so  powefful  in  moving  God 
to  bestow  his  mercies  and  blessings. 

In  exhorting  his  son  to  the  practice  of  this  virtue, 
Tobias  advises  him  never  to  turn  his  face  from  any 
poor  person,  "for,"  says  he,  "so  it  shall  come  to  pass 
that  God  will  not  turn  his  face  from  thee."  In  the 
eye  of  that  Almighty  Being,  we  are  all  poor  and  in- 
digent; infinitely  more  so  than  the  poorest  object  upon 
earth  that  solicits  relief  from  us.  The  wants  and  ne- 
cessities of  our  souls  are  innumerable,  and  none  but 
God  can  relieve  them.     Should  he  then  in  his  wrath, 


f 


128  THIRTKENTH  HOMILY  ON 

turn  away  the  countenance  of  his  tender  mercy  from 
us,  what  would  become  of  us?  Deprived  of  his  all 
necessary  aid,  destitute  of  succour  from  him,  and  void 
of  the  rich  treasure  of  his  grace,  our  souls  would  have 
no  other  prospect  before  them  than  misery,  temporal 
and  eternal.  What  more  powerful  motive  then  can 
we  desire  for  the  practice  of  charity  to  our  fellow- 
creatures,  than  to  be  assured  by  Almighty  God  him- 
self, that  this  is  the  certain  means  of  securing  to  our- 
selves the  favourable  regards  and  the  kind  assistance 
of  his  mercy?  Borne  on  the  wings  of  charity,  our 
prayers  mount  without  opposition  to  the  throne  of  the 
Deity,  and  open  to  us  the  treasures  of  his  mercy. 
"Break  thy  hread  with  the  hungry,  and  invite  the  needy 
into  thy  house;  when  thou  shalt  see  one  that  is  naked, 
clothe  him.  Then  come  and  cry  to  the  Lord  thy  God, 
and  he  will  hear  thee."  Isaiah  Iviii. 

But,  my  beloved  brethren,  the  giving  of  alms  accor- 
ding to  our  ability,  not  only  draws  down  the  mercy  of 
God  in  this  life,  and  inclines  him  to  lend  a  favourable 
ear  to  our  prayers;  Tobias  assures  us,  that  the  faithful 
practice  of  this  virtue  will  store  up  for  us  a  rich  trea- 
sure and  a  great  reward  for  the  day  of  necessity. 
That  day  is  the  day  of  judgment,  the  day  of  the  final 
distribution  of  God's  justice,  when  he  will  render  to 
each  one  according  to  his  works.  Then  shall  the 
earthly  and  perishable  goods,  which  we  have  put  into 
the  hands  of  the  poor,  be  transformed  into  heavenly 
and  eternal  treasures.  When  the  hand  of  death  shall 
have  stripped  us  of  our  worldly  riches,  and  nothing 
shall  remain  to  us  but  our  works,  which  will  accom- 
pany us  to  the  tribunal  of  our  Judge,  then  shall  we 
behold  again  in  the  hands  of  our  divine  Redeemer, 
whatever  we  have  given  to  him  in  the  persons  of  his 
poor  members.  For  Jesus  Christ,  that  same  all  mer- 
ciful Saviour,  who  for  our  salvation  clothed  himself 
with  the  infirmities  of  our  nature,  suffered  so  many 
indignities,  and  so  cruel  a  death  on  the  cross,  declares, 


f     ♦ 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  129 

that  whatever  we  do  to  the  poor,  he  considers  as  done 
to  himself,  and  as  such  will  recompense  it  when  he 
shall  appear  as  the  Sovereign  Judge  of  angels  and  of 
men.  "Amen,  I  say  to  you,  as  long  as  you  did  it  to 
one  of  these  my  least  brethren,  you  did  it  to  me." 

In  the  third  place:  "Alms  deliver  from  all  sin,  and 
from  death,  and  will  not  suffer  the  soul  to  go  into  dark- 
ness:" that  is,  into  eternal  damnation.  When  the 
haughty  Nabuchodonosor  was  threatened  by  God  with 
the  severest  judgments,  in  punishment  of  his  pride, 
the  prophet  Daniel  gave  him  this  advice:  "O  King, 
redeem  thy  sins  by  alms-deeds,  and  thy  iniquities  by 
relieving  the  poor."  Daniel  iv.  24.  Not  that  the 
giving  of  charity  to  the  poor  can  alone  and  of  itself 
cleanse  away  the  guilt  of  sin  and  confer  the  grace  of 
justification.  No,  my  beloved  brethren,  God  is  not  a 
corrupt  judge  that  can  be  bribed  by  presents.  But  if 
the  sinner,  however  enormous  his  guilt  may  have  been, 
entering  into  sentiments  of  sincere  compunction,  and 
sighing  under  the  load  of  his  iniquities,  joins  to  his 
prayers  and  contrition  the  exercise  of  frequent  acts  of 
mercy  to  the  poor,  his  alms,  thus  accompanied  with 
the  dispositions  of  true  repentance,  will  most  power- 
fully plead  for  mercy,  and  draw  down  the  grace  of  a 
sincere  conversion.  Thus  alms  are  of  the  highest  ad- 
vantage to  every  description  of  persons;  to  the  sinner 
they  prepare  the  way  for  his  conversion,  and  render 
his  desires  of  repentance  efficacious;  to  the  true  peni- 
tent they  are  the  most  excellent  means  of  redeeming 
his  past  sins;  and  to  the  just  they  serve  as  an  expiation 
of  those  smaller  stains  from  which  none,  however  holy, 
are  exempt,  and  as  a  means  of  obtaining  the  grace  of 
perseverance  to  the  end  in  the  path  of  virtue. 

Lastly,  my  beloved  brethren,  "alms  shall  be  a  great 
confidence  before  the  most  high  God  to  all  them  that 
give  it."  The  same  divine  oracles  which  tell  us,  that 
judgment  without  mercy  shall  be  passed  upon  such  as 
have  not  shewn  mercy,  moreover  assures  us,  that  our 


^r 


ISO  THIRTEENTH  HOMILY  ON 

best  security  for  mercy  in  that  awful  moment  when 
we  shall  be  summoned  before  the  Sovereign  Judge, 
will  be  the  acts  of  charity  and  mercy  which  we  our- 
selves have  sent  before  us  to  his  tribunal.  This  is  par- 
ticularly true  of  those  works  which  tend  to  promote 
the  glory  of  God,  the  advancement  of  religion  and 
piety,  and  the  salvation  of  souls.  Such  works  as  those, 
in  that  day  of  calamity  and  misery  when  the  heavens 
and  earth  shall  be  consumed  by  fire,  and  the  sinner, 
trembling  at  the  left-hand  of  the  Judge,  shall  in  vain 
call  upon  the  hills  to  cover  him  and  hide  him  from  the 
wrath  of  God,  will  inspire  confidence  and  hope,  will 
disarm  the  anger  of  our  Judge,  and  cover  a  multitude 
of  sins. 

Be  ye  then  mn'ciful,  according  to  the  ability  with 
which  God  has  blessed  you.  But  in  performing  the 
duties  of  charily,  seek  not  the  applause  of  men;  have 
always  in  view,  as  the  end  of  all  these  and  your  other 
asfi  of  virtue,  solely  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  gain- 
ing of  eferna!  life.  For  it  is  only  to  acts  of  charity 
peribrmed  wiiii  this  pure  intention,  that  the  spiritual 
advantages  aad  blessings  which  I  have  mentioned,  are 
promised  by  Almighty  God. 

After  thesL!  admirable  lessons  of  charity,  Tobias 
earnestly  exhorts  his  son  to  fly  from  all  impurity. 

Ver.  13.    Take  heed  to  keep  thyself,  my  son,  from  all  fornication, 
und  beside  thy  wife  never  endure  to  know  a  crime. 

Oh!  that  ill  directing  the  same  advice  to  you,  my 
beloved  brethr-i,  I  could  be  ensured  that  it  would  be 
as  religiously  lullowed  by  you,  and  attended  with  the 
same  happy  fruits  in  each  member  of  that  dear  flock 
Avhom  Providence  has  entrusted  to  my  care!  Sensible 
of  the  dreadful  liavock  which  the  devil  makes  among 
Christian  souls  by  the  filthy  vice  of  impurity,  fortify 
yourselves  against  all  its  assaults  by  fervent  prayer, 
by  earnest  watchfulness,  by  a  constant  sense  of  the 
presence  of  God,  by  carefully  flying  the  company  and 


THE  BOOK  OF    TOBIAS.  131 

the  resorts  of  the  lustful,  by  frequently  meditating  on 
your  last  end,  and,  abo\  e  all,  by  cultivating  in  your 
souls  the  most  profound  humility.  For  impurity  is  very 
often  the  punishment  of  pride,  as  the  apostle  St.  Paul 
plainly  inculcates  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  chap, 
xi.  ver.  22.  speaking  of  tlie  heathens,  he  says,  "pro- 
fessing themselves  to  be  wise,  they  became  fools;  God 
gave  them  up  to  the  desire  of  their  heart,  to  unclean- 
ness,  to  dishonour  their  own  bodies  among  themselves. 
For  this  cause  God  delivered  them  up  to  shameful 
passions,  receiving  in  themselves  the  recompense  that 
was  due  to  their  error."'''  Knowing  that  pride  opens 
the  door  of  the  heait  to  the  passion  of  lust,  and  that 
humility  is  the  best  guardian  of  purity,  Tobias  con- 
tinues his  advice  to  his  son  in  these  words: 

Ver.    14.      Never    suffer    pride    to   reign   in   th}-  mind  or  in  thy 
words,  for  from  it  all  perdilion  took  its  beginning. 

Pride  is  the  worst  and  the  deepest  of  all  the  wounds 
caused  in  the  soul  of  man  by  the  disoledience  of 
Adam.  It  is  so  implanted  in  our  corrupt  nature,  that 
utterly  to  destroy  it  is  almost  impossible.  To  fight 
against  its  suggestions,  to  weaken  its  power,  and  to 
prevent  it  from  ruling  over  our  thoughts,  words,  and 
actions,  is  the  daily  employment  marked  out  for  us  in 
our  mortal  existence.  To  succeed  in  this  task,  we 
must  ever  cherish  in  our  minds  the  opposite  sentiments 
of  Christian  humility:  meditating  often  on  our  own 
nothingness,  on  our  ingratitude  to  God,  and  the  un- 
certainty that  hangs  over  our  future  lot;  behaving  with 
mildness  and  affability  to  all;  despising  no  one,  however 
inferior  to  ourselves;  and  bearing,  in  a  spirit  of  meek- 
ness, the  frailties,  imperfections,  and  even  injuries  of 
our  fellow-creatures.  Faithfully  attending  to  these 
principles  as  our  guide,  we  shall  triumph  over  this 
subtle  enemy,  which  is  indeed  the  root  of  evil.  For 
pride  was  the  occasion  of  the  eternal  destruction  both 
of  Angels  and  of  men;  pride  was  the  parent  of  sin 


1S2  THIRTEENTH  HOMILY  ON 

and  hell.  It  is  at  the  same  time  the  first  and  the  greatest 
of  all  sins,  and  that  which  God  holds  in  the  greatest 
abhorrence,  because  it  strikes  directly  at  his  sovereign 
majesty  and  infinite  perfections,  claiming  to  itself  the 
excellence  and  the  glory  which  belong  to  him  alone. 
Yet,  so  inherent  is  pride  in  our  very  nature,  since  the 
fall  of  Adam,  that  we  are  at  each  moment  in  danger 
from  some  one  or  other  of  its  mortal  wounds,  unless 
by  a  constant  watchfulness  and  by  cherishing  in  our 
breasts  a  solid  humility,  we  provide  ourselves  with  an 
antidote  against  its  deadly  poison. 

Ver.  15.     If  any  man  hath   done  any  work  for  thee,  immediately 
pay  him  his  hire,  and  let  not  the  v/ages   of  thy  hired  servant 

slay  with  thee  at  all IG.  See  thou  nevei  do  to  another  what 

thou  wouldst  hate  to  have  done  to  thee  by  another. 

Such  are  the  lessons  Tobias  gives  his  son  to  regulate 
his  conduct  towards  his  neighbour.  1  o  do  to  others 
as  we  wish  them  to  do  to  us,  is  the  abridgment  of  all 
the  duties  of  brotherly  love  enjoined  by  the  gospel. 
It  is  a  rule  extremely  simple  in  itself,  but  very  exten- 
sive in  its  obligations.  AV'ith  this  rule  all  our  thoughts, 
words,  and  actions,  that  legard  our  conduct  towards 
our  fellow -creatures,  will  one  day  be  compared  at  the 
judgment-seat  of  Christ.  Do  you  then,  my  beloved 
brethren,  make  this  maxim  the  invariable  rule  of  your 
behaviour  towards  others,  that  you  may  avoid  that 
dreadful  confusion  and  severe  condemnation  which 
will  one  day  belall  those  who  by  their  frauds,  their  in- 
justices, their  rash  judgments,  their  calumnies,  and 
their  detractions,  shall  stand  charged  with  having 
violated  this  grand  principle  of  fraternal  charity.  As 
to  those  persons  whom  you  employ  to  work  for  you, 
strictly  fulfil  the  injunction  of  holy  Tobias  to  his  son, 
by  paying  them  their  hire  when  it  is  due.  To  do 
otherwise,  to  keep  back  unjustly  the  wages  of  the 
labourer,  is  a  crime  so  contrary  to  justice  and  charity, 
that  it  is  declared  in  holy  writ  to  be  one  of  those  more 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  133 

enormous  sins  which  cry  to  heaven  for  vengeance  in 
this  life,  over  and  above  the  eternal  condemnation 
which  is  the  ordinary  punishment  of  grievous  trans- 
gressions. '^Behold,"  says  St.  James,  v.  4.  "the  hire 
of  the  labourers,  who  have  reaped  down  your  fields, 
which  by  fraud  has  been  kept  back  by  you,  crieth:  and 
the  cry  of  them  hath  entered  into  the  ears  of  the  Lord 
of  Sabaoth."     Tobias  thus  proceeds: 

Ver.  17.  Eat  thy  bread  with  the  hungry  and  the  needy,  and  with 

thy  garments  cover  the  naked 18.  Layout  thy  bread  and 

thy  wine  upon  the  burial  of  a  just  man,  and  do  not  eat  and 
drink  thereof  with  the  wicked. 

Tobias  here  alludes  to  a  custom  which  prevailed 
among  the  Jewish  people,  of  making  an  ofiering  at 
the  tombs  of  their  departed  friends.  The  offering- 
consisted  of  bread  and  wine,  or  other  meats,  which, 
after  being  laid  upon  the  tomb  of  the  dead  person, 
were  distributed  among  the  poor,  to  procure  their 
prayers  for  the  departed  soul.  Tobias,  however,  takes 
care  to  inform  his  son,  that  these  prayers  could  be  of 
no  service  to  the  wicked,  who  die  enemies  of  God, 
in  a  state  of  mortal  sin,  but  only  to  the  just,  who  de- 
part this  life  in  the  grace  of  God,  but  with  some  les- 
ser stains  upon  the  soul,  which  may  be  expiated  by  the 
charities  and  prayers  of  the  living.  Christianity  teach- 
es the  same  doctrine;  and  in  the  records  of  every  coun- 
try that  has  received  the  light  of  the  Christian  religion, 
we  find  that  the  custom  of  praying  for  the  dead  intro- 
duced and  established  as  a  part  of  the  faith  delivered 
by  Christ  and  his  Apostles.  St.  Irenaeus  expressly 
mentions  this  custom  in  the  second  century;  and  the 
great  St.  Augustine  tells  us,  in  his  confessions,  with 
what  earnestness  his  pious  mother  on  her  death-bed 
besought  him  to  remember  her  soul  in  the  sacred  mys- 
teries, and  with  what  reverential  care  he  fulfilled  her 
devout  request  Tobias,  in  recommmending  his  son 
to  observe  this  pious  practice,  common  among  his 
12 


134  THIRTEENTH  HOMILY  ON 

countrymen,  of  bestowing  charity  in  behalf  of  the 
dead,  charges  him  to  invite  to  these  repasts  sucii  only 
as  fear  God  and  lead  a  life  of  virtue,  lest  these  feasts 
of  charity  should  degenerate  into  excess  and  drunken- 
nessfc. 

y  Ver.  19.     Seek  counsel  always  of  a  wise  man. 

This  is  another  important  lesson  which  Tobias  de- 
livers to  his  son.  Thd  Holy  Ghost,  b}'  the  mouth  of 
the  wise  man,  (Eccles.  xxxii.  24.)  gives  the  same  ad- 
vice: "My  son,  do  nothing  without  counsel,  and  ihou 
shalt  not  repent  after  thou  hast  done."  In  etfect,  we 
cannot  enterlain  too  great  a  mistrust  of  our  own  lights 
and  prudence.  This  diffidence  in  ourselves  should  lead 
us  to  embrace  with  gladness  the  opportunities  of  im- 
proving ourselves  by  the  knov^ ledge  and  expericiice of 
others,  by  asking  advice,  particularly  of  those  whom 
God  has  appointed  our-spiritual  guides,  the  piist(js  of 
the  Church.  If  we  are  faithful  on  our  part  in  thus  seek- 
ing direction  from  the  prudence  of  others,  Gou  will 
not  fail  to  put  into  the  minds  and  the  mouths  o:  those 
whom  we  consult,  the  sentiments  and  the  advice  neces 
sary  to  promote  our  welfare.  In  short,  it  is  he  who 
speaks  to  us  by  the  mouth  of  those  prudent  persons 
with  whom  we  advise-,  upon  him  tlierefore  principally 
we  are  to  rely  for  guidance  and  direction,  it  is  what 
holy  Tobias  tells  his  son  m  the  veiy  next  verse: 

Fer., 20.     Bless  God  at  all  tir/.es;  and  desire  of  him  to  direct  thy 
ways,  and  that  all  thy  counsels  may  abide  in  him 

Oh!  how  m.any  admirable  lessons  of  piety,  how 
many  great  and  importanl  obligations  are  included  in 
these  few  words!  Bless  God  at  all  times;  be  always 
mindful  of  him  in  your  hearts,  in  the  midst  of  tlie  hur- 
ry and  employment  of  the  day,  during  the  repose  of 
the  night,  in  affliction  and  in  prosperity,  at  all  times 
sind  in  all  places  bless  God,  by  making  him  the  end  of 
all  your  actions,  and  performing  them  all  to  his  glory. 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  135 

111  all  your  ways  iin[)lore  the  guidance  of  his  holy 
spirit,  consult  liis  will  in  all  your  undertakings,  rely- 
iuii;  not  upon  your  own  lights  and  prudence,  but  upon 
that  wisdom  and  knowledge  which  he  never  fails  to 
infuse  from  above  into  the  breasts  of  those  who  put 
their  whole  confidence  in  him  and  truly  seek  his  glory. 
Thus  placing  yourselves  under  the  guidance  of  his 
Providence,  you  will,  as  Tobias  assures  his  son  in  the 
conclusion  of  his  advice,  have  nothing  to  fear  from  the 
malice  of  your  enemies,  however  low  and  apparently 
wretched  your  condition  may  be. 

Ver.  23.  Fear  not,  my  son,  said  that  holy  man;  we  lead  indeed 
a  poor  life,  but  we  shall  have  many  good  things,  if  we  fear 
God,  and  depart  from  all  sin,  and  do  that  whieh  is  good. 

The  fear  of  God,  innocence  of  life,  and  an  humble 
confi^rmity  to  the  will  of  Providence,  are  a  treasure 
far  surpassing  all  the  contemptible  riches  of  this  earth, 
making  the  soul  a  pleasing  dwelling-place  and  abode 
for  tlie  God  of  heaven  during  this  life,  and  adorning 
h'T  with  those  spiritual  riches  that  will  procure  her 
admission  into  the  glorious  mansions  of  never-ending 
felicity  in  the  life  to  come. 


136  FOURTEENTH  HOMILY  ON 


POURTEEMTTH  ROMZLY. 


chap.  IV.  ver.  21.     I  tell  thee  also,  my  son,  that  I  lent  len  talents 
of  silver,  while  thou  v/ast  yet  a  ciiild,  to  GabeJus,  in  Rages,  a 

city  of  the  Medes,  and  I  have  a  note  of  his  hanil  with  me: 22. 

Now  therefore  inquire  how  thou  mayest  go  to  him,  and  receive 
of  him  the  aforesaid  sum  of  money,  and  restore  him  the  note 
of  his  hand. 

In  the  three  preceding  homilies,  1  have  unfolded  to 
you,  my  beloved  brethren,  those  admirable  lessons  of 
instruction  which  Tobias,  thinking,  in  consequence  of 
his  blindness,  that  he  was  about  to  die,  imparled  to 
his  son  as  his  last  advice.  That  holy  man,  having  thus 
fulfilled  the  most  important  part  of  his  obligation  as  a 
parent,  in  providing  for  the  spiritual  well'are  of  his 
child,  completes  his  preparation  for  deatli,  by  giving 
proper  directions  for  the  settlement  of  his  temporal 
concerns.  This  is  a  duty  which  every  parent,  posses- 
sed of  any  property,  owes  to  his  family.  Moreover, 
it  is  a  duty  which  Christian  parents  should  take  care 
to  discharge,  as  Tobias  did,  while  yet  their  health  and 
understandings  are  good,  and  not  neglect  it  till  sick- 
ness and  the  near  approach  of  death  scarce  leave  them 
the  use  of  their  faculties,  or  till  the  moments  allotted 
to  this  task  can  ill  be  spared  from  the  more  important 
concern  of  disposing  their  souls  for  judgment.  A 
good  Christian  who  lives  in  the  constant  expectation 
of  his  last  summons,  and  in  a  daily  preparation  for  it, 
will  be  careful,  by  making  his  will  during  health  and 
strength,  so  to  dispose  of  his  temporal  affairs  as  to 
satisfy  the  duties  of  justice  and  chaiity.  Tobias,  as 
I  have  before  observed,  is  in  this  respect  a  model  for 
Christians.  During  his  pros|)erity,  he  had  lent  his 
kinsman  Gabelus  his  sum  of  ten  talents  of  silver,  to 
assist  him  in  providing  a  proper  maintenance  for  his 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  137 

family.  The  sum  was  considerable,  and  apparently 
was  all  thaf  remained  to  Tobias  of  his  former  affluence. 
Judging  it,  therefore,  to  be  a  duty  which  he  owed  to 
his  family  to  recall  that  sum  of  money,  and  knowing 
that  his  kinsman,  by  his  success  in  business,  was  able 
to  repay  it,  he  desires  his  son  to  look  out  for  a  guide, 
under  whose  care  he  may  safely  undertake  a  journey 
to  Gabelus's  house,  and  at  the  same  time  gives  him 
directions  how  to  recover  the  money.  The  young 
Tobias,  trained  up  in  the  path  of  obedience,  cheerful- 
ly complies  with  his  father's  wishes. 

Chap.  V.  ver.  1.     Then   Tobias  answered  his  father,  and  said:  I 

vviil  do  all  things,  father,  which  thou  hast  commanded  me 2. 

But  how  I  shall  get  this  money  I  cannot  tell:  he  knoweth  not 
me,  and  I  know  not  him:  what  token  shall  I  give  him?  Nor 
did  I  ever  know  the  way  which  leadeth  thither. 

The  young  Tobias  meant  not,  by  these  questions 
and  observations,  to  detract  from  the  assurance  which 
he  had  given  his  father  of  his  readiness  to  comply  with 
his  injunctions;  but,  foreseeing  the  ditficulties  which 
he  might  have  to  encounter,  with  the  greatest  pru- 
dence he  respectfully  opens  his  mind  to  his  father, 
and  solicits  his  advice. 

Ver.  3.     Then  his  father  answered  him,  and  said:  I  have  a  note 
of  his  hand  with  me,  which  when  thou  shalt  shew  him,  he  will 

presently   pay  it 4.    But  go  now,  and  seek   thee   out  some 

faithful  man,  to  go  with  thee  for  his  hire;  that  thou  mayest  re- 
ceive it  while  I  yet  live. 

The  young  Tobias  had  started  two  difficulties 
which  presented  themselves  to  his  mind;  the  one,  how 
he  should  make  himself  known  to  Gabelus,  the  other, 
by  what  means  he  should  discover  the  road  that  would 
conduct  him  to  his  kinsman's  house;  his  father  removes 
the  first  difficulty  by  telling  him,  that  Gabelus,  a  man 
of  strict  honour  and  integrity,  as  soon  as  he  shall  see 
the  note,  will  immediately  acknowledge  his  own  hand- 
writing and  pay  the  money;  and  to  obviate  the  second 
12* 


138  FOURTEENTH  HOMILY  ON 

difficulty,  relating  to  his  journeyi;  advises  his  son  to 
seek  for  a  faithful  guide  to  conduct  him. 

Ver   5.     Then  Tobias  going  forth  found  a  beautiful  young  man, 

standing  girded,  and  as  it  were  ready  to  walk 6.  And  not 

knowing  that  he  was  an  angel  of  God,  he  saluted  him  and  said: 
From  whence  art  thou,  good  young  man? 7.  But  he  answer- 
ed, Of  the  children  of  Israel    And  Tobias  said  to  him:  Knowest 

thou  the  way  that  leadeth  to  the  country  of  the  Medes 8. 

And  he  answered:  I  know  it;  and  I  have  often  walked  through 
all  the  ways  thereof,  and  I  have  abode  with  Gabelusour  brother; 
who  dwelleth  at  Rages,  a  city  of  the  Medes,  which  is  situate 

in  the  mount  of  Ecbatana 9.  And  Tobias  said  to  him:  Stay 

for  me,  1  beseech  thee,  till  I  tell  these  same  things  to  my 
father. 

As  soon  as  the  young  Tobias  had  with  modesty  and 
prudence  proposed  the  difficulties  which  he  appre- 
hended from  the  long  journey  that  he  was  about  to 
undertake,  and  had  received  his  father's  instructions 
how  to  proceed,  he  lost  no  time  in  complying  with  the 
wishes  of  his  parent,  h  eady  obedience  always  draws 
down  the  blessing  of  heaven  upon  itself  The  world 
laughs  at  the  humble  simplicity  with  which  the  Saints 
follow  the  directions  of  diose  whom  God  has  placed 
over  them,  and  ridicules  this  part  of  their  conduct  as 
the  emblem  of  a  weak  mind.  But  the  wisdom  of  this 
world  is  folly  before  God,  and  while  he  conceals  the 
wonders  of  his  Providence  from  tlie  proud  and  self- 
conceited,  he  unfolds  them  to  the  humble  and  the  little 
ones,  who,  diffident  of  themselves,  seek  light  and 
counsel  from  above.  >  o  sooner  had  the  young  Tobias, 
in  obedience  to  his  father's  advice,  set  out  in  search 
1)1  a  guide,  than  he  meets  with  one,  in  the  outward 
appearance  of  a  man,  but  in  reality  an  Angel  deputed 
by  divine  Providence  in  reward  of  his  obedience,  to 
conduct  him  on  his  journey  and  administer  the  bles- 
sing of  heaven  to  himself  and  his  parents.  How  ad- 
mirable is  the  goodness  which  God  manifests  towards 
his  faithful  servants!  With  what  tender  care  does  he 
watch  over  them!      Truly,  he  regards  them   as  the 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  1  39 

apple  of  his  eye;  as  the  hen  gathereth  her  chickens 
under  her  wings,  he  extends  the  protecting  wings  of 
his  Providence  over  those  who  trust  in  him,  and  gives 
his  angels  charge  over  them  to  keep  them  in  all  their 
ways.  Ps.  xc.  His  infinite  goodness  and  love  for  us, 
not  content  with  rendering  tiie  visible  creation  subser- 
vient to  our  wants  and  necessities,  has  appointed  the 
spirits  that  surround  his  throne,  the  inmate  of  his 
heavenly  court,  to  attend  upon  us  in  our  pilgrimage 
through  this  life  of  temptation  and  trial,  and  to  exer- 
cise their  ministry  in  favour  of  those  who  are  heirs  of 
salvation.     Heb.  i.  14. 

It  is  not  necessary,  my  beloved  brethren,  to  repeat 
here  what  I  have  delivered  to  you  in  a  former  instruc- 
tion as  the  doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  respect- 
ing the  offices  and  employments  of  the  holy  Angels  as 
far  as  regards  this   woild   in  which  w^e  live.     Every 
book  of  the  inspired  writings  teaches  us,  that  Angels 
were  employed  by  Almighty  God  as  the  instruments 
of  his  merciful  designs,  both  towards  his  whole  people 
and  towards   the  individuals  who  are  recorded  as  his 
more  faithful  servants.     On   the  occasion  at  present 
under  our  consideration,  the  Angel  sent  by  God   to 
watch  over  the  young  Tobias,  took  the  appearance  of 
a  young  man  of  the  people  of  Israel,  an  appearance 
under  which  Angels  are  frequently  mentioned  in  Scrip- 
ture, clad  as  a  traveller,  and  on  the  point  of  under- 
taking a  long  journey.    Tobias  meeting  him,  accosted 
him  in  an  afll'able  manner,  and  asked  him  whence  he 
came?      He  replied,  that  he  was  of  the  children  of 
Israel,  and  was   well   acquainted  with   the   road   to 
tvages,  and  knew  personally  his  kinsman  Gabelus.    In 
all  this  reply  of  the  Angel,  there  is  nothing  but  what 
is  conformable  to  the  strictest  truth,  since  Providence 
had  clothed  him  with  the  siiape,  the  countenance,  and 
outward  appearance  of  the  person  whom   he  repre- 
sented himself  to  be,  whose  name  he  assumed,  and 
-^whom  he  might  with  perfect  propriety  call  himself, 


140  FOURTEENTH  HOMILY  ON 

till  he  had  fulfilled  the  part  which  in  that  character 
Almighty  God  had  allotted  him.  The  young  Tobias 
was  overjoyed  at  meeting  so  opportunely  with  a 
fellow-traveller.  Yet  he  did  not  suffer  his  joy  to  get 
the  belter  of  his  prudence,  or  the  respect  which  he 
owed  to  his  father,  but,  resolving  to  do  nothing  with- 
out his  parent's  advice,  desired  the  young  man,  as  he 
took  him  to  be,  to  stay  while  he  communicated  his 
good  fortune  to  his  father. 

Ver.  10.     Then  Tobias  going  in,  told  all  these  things  to  hi?  father. 
Upon   whicli  his   father,  being  in  adaiiration,  desired  that  he 

would   come    in  unto  him 11    So  goinjj  in,  he  saluted  him, 

and  said,  Joy  be  to  thee  always. 

Tobias,  on  being  informed  by  his  son  that  he  had 
met  with  a  proper  guide,  well  acquinted  with  the  road 
which  he  was  going  and  the  kinsman  whom  he  intend- 
ed to  visit,  felt  a  double  emotion  of  pleasure,  arising 
from  liis  joy  at  the  good  news,  and  his  admiration  at 
the  kindness  of  Providence.  He  immediately  invited 
the  young  stranger  to  his  house,  who,  coming  in,  ad- 
dressed the  good  old  man  in  the  salutation  usual  among 
the  Jewish  people;  "Joy,  or  peace,  be  to  you."  In- 
ward peace  of  soul,  and  the  spiritual  joy  attendant 
upon  it,  are  the  greatest  blessings  we  can  look  for  on 
this  earth.  Happy,  indeed,  is  that  soul  which  feels 
this  peace  within  herself,  conscious  of  her  own  faith- 
ful endeavours  to  walk  in  the  way  of  God's  command- 
ments, having  all  her  affection?  and  passions  in  proper 
subjection,  and  breathing  a  spirit  of  peace  and  charity 
towards  every  fellow-creature!  This  three-fold  peace 
Jesus  Christ  bequeathed  as  his  last  and  best  legacy  to 
his  disciples;  and  when  he  sent  them  to  convert  the 
world,  he  appointed  them  the  harbingers  of  peace, 
enjoining  them,  into  whatever  house  they  entered  to 
implore  for  it  the  same  heavenly  blessing:  "Into 
whatever  house  ye  shall  enter,  say  first,  peace  be  to 
Ihis  house."    Luke  x.  5.    His  Church,  guided  by  the 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  141 

spirit  of  her  divine  founder,  directs  her  ministers  in 
visiting:  the  sick,  to  make  use  of  the  same  pious  sahita- 
tion,  "Peace  be  to  you." — Tobias,  when  he  heard 
this  salutation  addressed  to  him,  not  knowing  as  yet 
who  the  stranger  was,  thought  that  the  joy  which  the 
young  man  wished  him,  might  be  a  mere  human  joy, 
such  as  worldlings  seek  in  the  pursuit  of  earthly 
pleasures. 

Ver.  12.     And  he  (Tobias")  said:     What  manner  of  joy  shall  be 
to  me,  who  sit  in  darkness,  and  see  not  the  light  of  heaven? 

This  holy  man  had  resigned  himself  with  the  most 
perfect  submission  to  the  will  of  God  undei-  the  severe 
affliction  of  his  blindness.  The  holy  Scripture  testi- 
ties  that  he  murmured  not,  but  gave  thanks  to  God  all 
the  days  of  his  life.  In  his  reply,  tlierefore,  to  the 
angel  on  this  occasion,  he  signifies,  that,  as  heaven  had 
deprived  him  of  that  faculty  u|)on  which  worldly 
pleasure  so  much  depends,  he  had  bid  adieu  to  eartftly 
joys  and  had  fixed  his  desires  of  comfort  on  the  solid 
happiness  in  a  future  state,  which  he  trusted  would  be 
the  reward  of  his  cheerful  submission  to  the  appoint- 
ments of  Providence,  v^  e  can  hardly  imagine  a  more 
severe  trial  than  that  wiiich  had  befallen  Tobias  in 
his  blindness,  and  he  himself  seems,  by  his  reply  to 
the  Angel,  to  have  been  fully  sensible  of  the  weight 
of  his  affliction:  "What  manner  of  joy  shall  be  to  me 
who  sit  in  darkness,  and  see  not  the  light  of  heaven." 
Yet,  on  the  other  hand,  guided  by  that  solid  virtue 
which  chastens  and  keeps  within  proper  bounds  the 
feelings  of  nature,  he  bears  his  affliction,  not  only 
without  murmuring,  but  with  interior  joy. 

If  it  be  so  great  a  misfortune  to  be  deprived  of  the 
sight  of  our  bodily  eyes,  how  much  more  dreadful  an 
evil  is  it  to  be  deprived  of  the  light  of  the  soul,  which 
is  nb  other  than  God  himself  the  eternal  light,  without 
whom  all  within  us  is  darkness  and  death  itself!  Such 
is  the  unhappy  state  of  every  soul  that  is  in  a  state  of 


1  42  FOURTEENTH  HOMILY  ON 

wilful  sin.  Ah!  how  many  are  there  thus  spiritually 
blind,  yet  insensible  of  their  unhappy  condition!  Pray 
for  all  such,  my  beloved  brethren,  I  conjure  you  by 
<he  bowels  of  the  mercy  of  Christ  Jesus;  pray  that 
God  will  send  some  one  of  his  Angels,  that  is,  his 
ministers,  to  work  their  cure,  as  he  sent  his  angel  for 
the  relief  of  Tobias. 

Ver.  13.     And  the  young  man  said  to  him:  Be  of  good  courage, 
tliy  cure  from  God  is  at  hand. 

Tobias  having  mentioned  his  affliction,  the  Angel 
consoles  him  with  the  assurance  that  God  is  about  to 
remove  the  cause  of  it,  by  restoring  his  sight.  To 
this  the  holy  man,  as  he  did  not  yet  know  that  it  was 
an  Angel  who  addressed  liim,  made  no  reply,  but  re- 
solved with  perfect  resignation  to  await  the  disposi- 
tions ol  uivine  Providence.  He  proceeds  to  make  the 
necessary  inquiries  respecting  the  guide  who  had  of- 
fered to  conduct  his  son. 

Ver.  14.   And  tobias  said  to  him:  Canst  thou  conduct  my  son  to 
Gabelus,  at  Rages,  a  city  of  the  Medes:  and  when  thou  shalt 

return,  I  will  pay  thee  thy  hire 15.  And  the  Angel  said  to 

him,  1  ^vi'l  conduct  him  thither,  and  bring  him  back  to  thee. 
And  Tohins  said  to  him:  I  pray  ihce,  tell  me,  of  what  family, 

or  what  tribe  art  thou? 1".   And  Raphael  the  Angel  answer- 

•ed:  Dost  thou  seek  the  family  of  him  thou  hircst,  or  the  hired 

servant  himself  to  go  with  thy  son? 18.     But  lest  I  should 

make  thee  uneasy,  I  am  Azarias,  the  son  of  the  great  Anani- 
as  19.  And  Tobias  answered:  Thou  art  of  a  great  family, 

but  1  pray  thee,  be  not  angry  that  I  desired  to  know  thy  family.... 
20.  And  the  Angel  said  to  him,  I  will  lead  thy  son  safe,  and 

bring  him   to  thee  again  safe 21.   And  Toljias    answering, 

said,  May  yen  have  a  good  journey,  and  God  be  with  you  in 

your  way,  and  his  Angel  accompany  you 22.  Then  all  things 

being  ready  that  were  to  be  carried  in  their  journey,  Tobias 
bid  his  father  and  mother  farewell,  and  they  set  out  both 
together. 

In  the  questions  which  Tobias  put  to  the  angel 
Raphael,  whom  he  thought  to  be  in  reality  that  which 
he  was  in  appearance,  a  young  man  of  the  race   of 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  143 

Israel,  this  holy  man  was  not  prompted  by  an  idle 
curiosity,  but  an  earnest  desire  of  providing  for  the 
welfare  of  his  son,  by  entrusting  liini  in  the  hands  of  a 
person  on  whose  prudence  and  virtue  he  could  rely. 
The  Angel,  to  remove  his  anxiety,  tells  him  his  name, 
that  is,  the  name  of  the  person  whom  Providence  had 
appointed  him  to  represent,  and  who  appears,  by  the 
satisfaction  which  his  name  gave  to  the  good  Tobias, 
to  have  been  one  of  this  holy  man's  acquaintance. 
J>atisfied  that  the  guide  who  had  offered  his  services 
might  safely  be  entrusted  with  the  care  of  his  son, 
Tobias  implores  the  blessing  of  heaven  upon  their 
journey,  and  prays  that  his  good  Angel  may  accom- 
pany them  on  their  road.  His  prayer  had  already  heen 
heard  and  anticipated  by  the  bounty  of  God.  'I'he  at- 
tendance of  the  angel  Raphael  on  the  young  Tobias,  is 
an  emblem  of  the  invisible  assistance  afforded  us  during 
our  mortal  pilgrimage  by  the  Angels  appointed  by 
Providence  to  guard  us.  Hearken  then  to  the  words 
which  God  addressed  to  his  people  in  the  desert,  and 
consider  them  as  directed  to  eacli  of  you:  "Behold  I 
send  my  Angel  before  you,  to  guard  you  in  the  way, 
and  to  lead  you  into  the  promised  land.  Respect  his 
presence,  and  despise  him  not,  for  he  is  invested  with 
my  authority."     Exod.  xxiii.  20. 


144  FIFTEENTH  HOMILY  ON 


FIFTEENTH  HOMZI.Y. 


^Chap.  V.  ver.  23.     And  when  they  were  departed,  his  mother  be- 
gan to  weep,  and  to  say:  Thou  hast  taUen  the  staff  of  our  old 

age,  and  se.it  him  away  from  us 24.  1  wish  the  money  for 

which  thou  hast  sent  him,  iiad  never  been 25.  For  our  pov- 
erty was  sulficient  for  us,  that  we  might  account  it  as  riches, 
that  we  saw  our  son. 

The  character  of  Anna,  the  wile  of  Tobias,  was 
as  I  have  before  observed  to  you,  my  beloved  breth- 
ren, very  different  from  that  of  her  husband.  Tobias, 
animated  by  a  true  spirit  of  religion,  views  the  hand 
of  God  in  every  circumstance  that  befalls  him;  and, 
anxious  only  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  divine  will,  re- 
lies with  confidence  oi>  the  protection  of  that  Almigh- 
ty Being  who  never  forsakes  those  who  put  their  trust 
in  him.  On  the  other  hand,  Anna,  guided  by  a 
worldly  spirit,  and  acting  from  the  impulse  ot  the 
feelings  of  nature,  studies  the  gratification  of  her 
own  will,  is  disheartened  at  the  least  difficulty,  is 
out  of  humour  at  every  little  trial,  and  frets  at  the  dis- 
positions of  divme  Providence,  because  she  looks  no 
further  than  present  enjoyment,  and  considers  not  that 
the  momentary  tribulations  of  this  life  are  designed  to 
work  for  us  an  eternal  weight  of  glory  in  the  life  to 
come.  In  this  her  want  ot  faith  and  confidence  in 
the  goodness  of  God,  Anna  has  but  too  many  imitators 
among  Christians,  who  by  their  murmuring  and  impa- 
tience under  the  trials  which  Providence  in  its  mercy 
ordains  for  their  spiritual  good  and  the  exercise  of 
their  virtue,  lose  all  the  merit  of  their  afflictions,  and 
make  them  a  source  of  real  misery,  both  temporal 
and  eternal.  Anna,  who,  on  a  former  occasion,  had 
Complained  so  much  of  the  evil  of  poverty,  now  mur- 
murs and  is  uneasy  because  she  is  for  a  short  time  de- 
prived of  the  sight  of  her  son,  though  divine  Provi- 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  146 

dence  had  given  her  such  plain  proofs  that  her  son  was 
under  its  holy  care  and  protection,  and  though  his 
journey  was  undertaken  with  a  view  to  remove  that 
very  poverty.  Tobias  seeing  her  affliction,  endea- 
vours to  console  her  by  instilling  into  her  breast  the 
same  holy  sentiments  of  piety  which  governed  his  own 
heart. 

Ver.  26.  And  Tobias  said  to  her:  Weep  not,  our  son  will  arrive 
th'ither  safe,  and  will  return  safe  to  us,  and  thy  eyes  shall  see 
him 27.  For  1  believe  that  the  good  angel  of  God  doth  ac- 
company him,   and  doth  order  all  things  well  that  are  done 

about  him,  so  that  he  shall  return  to  us  with  joy 29.  At 

these  words  his  mother  ceased  weeping,  and  held  her  peace. 

Though  the  holy  Tobias  did  not  yet  know  that  the 
stranger  who  had  offered  to  conduct  his  son  was  actu- 
ally an  Angel  of  the  Lord,  yet,  from  the  circumstan- 
ces which  had  transpired,  he  was  satisfied  that  his  son 
was  under  the  special  guidance  of  Providence,  and 
that  God  would  depute  one  of  his  holy  Angels  to  di- 
rect his  steps.  These  sentiments  of  Tobias  clearly 
demonstrate  that  the  faith  of  the  ancient  servants  of 
God,  who  preceded  the  Christian  dispensation,  respec- 
ting guardian  Angels,  was  the  same  as  that  of  the 
Catholic  Church  of  Christ.  What  love  and  gratitude 
do  we  not  owe  to  the  infinite  goodness  of  our  God  who 
has  provided  such  powerful  aids  for  our  weakness, 
and  such  admirable  helps  for  us  in  our  journey  through 
the  desert  of  this  life!  What  profound  reverence  and 
respect  ought  we  on  every  occasion  to  manifest  to- 
wards that  guardian  Spirit  who  is  appointed  by  divine 
Providence  to  conduct  us  safe  through  the  perils  of 
our  mortal  pilgrimage,  to  inspire  us  with  holy  thoughts, 
to  warn  us  of  danger,  to  assist  us  with  good  counsel, 
to  remove  from  us  what  might  injure  our  virtue,  and 
to  point  out  to  us,  and  lead  us  in,  the  path  to  eternal 
life!  Let  us  faithfully  imitate  the  young  Tobias  in  re- 
ceiving with  gratitude  the  succours  of  our  invisible 
guide,  in  listening  with  docility  to  his  holy  counsels, 
13 


146  FIFTEENTH  HOMILY  ON 

and  in  faithfully  following  his  heavenly  directions. 
Let  us  ever  make  it  a  part  of  our  morning,  noon,  and 
evening  devotions,  to  implore  a  continuance  of  his  pro- 
tection. The  assurance  which  Tobias  gave  to  his 
wife,  that  their  son  was  under  the  protection  of  God's 
holy  Angel,  imparted  comfort  to  her,  and  dried  her 
tears.  The  holy  Scripture  then  proceeds  to  recount 
for  us  the  journey  of  Tobias  in  the  following  manner: 

Chap.  VI.  ver.  1.    And  Tobias  went  forward,  and  the  dog  follow- 
ed him,  and  he  lodged  the  first  night  by  the  river  of  Tigris 

2.   And  he  went  out  to  wash  his  feet,  and  behold  a  monstrous 

fish  came  up  to  devour  him 3.  And  Tobias  being  afraid  of 

him,  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice,  saying:  Sir,  he  cometh  upon 

me 4.  And  the  Angel  said  to  him:  Take  him  by  the  gill  and 

draw  him  to  thee.     And  when  he  had  done  so,  he  drew  him 

out  upon  the  land,  and  he  began  to  pant  before  his  feet 5. 

Then  the  angel  said  to  him:  Take  out  the  entrails  of  this  fish, 
and  lay  up  his  heart  and  his  gall,  and  his  liver  for  thee:  for  these 

are  necessary  for  useful  medicines 6.  And  when  he  had 

done  so,  he  roasted  the  flesh  thereof,  and  they  took  it  with  fnem 
in  the  way:  the  rest  they  salted  as  much  as  mi|^lit  serve  them 
till  they  came  to  Rages  the  city  of  the  iMedes 7.  Then  To- 
bias asked  the  Angel,  and  said  to  him:  I  beseech  thee,  brother 
Azarias,  tell  me  what  remedies  are  these  things  good  for  which 

thou   hast    bid  me  keep  of    the    fish 8.    And  the    Angel 

answering,  said  to  him:  If  fhou  puta  little  piece  of  its  heart 
upon  coals,  the  smoke  thereof  driveth  away  all  kind  of  devils, 
eiiher  from  man  or  from  woman,  so  that  they  come  no  more  to 

them 9.  And  the  gall  is  good  for  anointing  the   eyes   in 

which  there  is  a  white  speck,  and  tiiey  shall  be  cured. 

That  same  Almighty  Being  who  created  the  universe, 
is  the  Sovereign  Ruler  of  it,  and  governs  it  as  he 
pleases.  To  promote  the  designs  of  his  infinite  pow- 
er, his  wisdom,  and  his  mercy,  he  renders  all  tilings 
subservient  to  his  will.  Sometimes  he  makes  use  of 
even  the  meanest  and  most  insignificant  of  his  crea- 
tures, for  the  purpose  of  conferring  the  greatest  of 
his  blessings  upon  man.  Of  this  truth,  the  sacraments 
of  the  Christian  Church  are  a  clear  and  astonishing 
proof.  In  one  of  them  (Baptism)  he  gives  to  simple 
water,  by  the  power  of  his   word,  the  efficacy  of 


THE  BOOK  OF    TOBIAS.  147 

cleansing  the  soul  from  the  foul  stain  of  sin,  adorning 
it  with  the  brightest  ornaments  of  grace,  and  raising 
it  to  the  dignity  of  a  child  of  God,  heir  of  heaven,  and 
joint-heir  with  Christ.  In  another  of  these  sacred  in- 
stitutions, (the  holy  Eucharist,)  God,  with  a  truly  ad- 
mirable love,  employs  the  lowly  elements  of  bread 
and  wine  as  the  instruments  of  producing  in  our  souls 
the  most  excellent  of  all  the  operations  of  his  infinite 
power  and  goodness,  an  union  with  him  our  God  and 
Saviour.  In  the  Gospel,  Jesus  Christ  is  recorded  to 
have  made  use  of  clay  mixed  with  spittle,  for  effecting 
the  cure  of  a  man  who  had  been  born  blind:  On  an- 
other occasion,  he  orders  Peter  to  cast  his  hook  into 
the  sea  and  draw  out  the  first  fish  which  he  should 
take,  to  open  its  mouth  and  take  out  of  it  a  piece  of 
money  which  he  should  find  there.  It  is  thus  that 
God  at  the  same  time  displays  his  own  omnipotence 
and  confounds  the  pride  of  man,  making  use  of  the 
simplest  of  his  creatures  for  bringing  about  those  ends 
which  man,  with  the  utmost  exertion  of  his  talents  and 
abilities,  could  never  accomplish.  The  portion  of 
Scripture  which  I  have  chosen  for  your  present  in- 
struction, informs  us,  that  at  the  very  same  time  when 
Tobias  went  to  the  river  Tigris  to  wash  his  feet,  a 
monstrous  fish,  by  the  order  of  Providence,  made  its 
appearance,  and  came  towards  him.  Tobias  was  at 
first  alarmed,  and  called  out  to  his  guide  for  protec- 
tion. The  Angel  quieted  his  fears,  bidding  him  lay 
hold  of  the  fish  without  the  least  alarm,  and  draw  it  on 
shore.  He  did  so,  and  the  fish  after  beating  itself 
about  for  some  time,  expired  at  his  feet.  The  Angel 
then  let  him  know,  that  divine  Providence  had  sent 
this  fish,  partly  as  a  provision  for  his  journey,  and 
partly  as  a  protection  from  the  snares  of  the  devil, 
and  for  the  cure  of  his  father's  blindness.  It  is  not 
for  us  to  search  into  the  ways  of  Omnipotence,  and 
ask  why  God  acts  in  this  or  that  particular  manner  or 
how  the  gall  of  this  fish  could  prove  a  remedy  for 


148  FIFTEENTH  HOMILY  ON 

blindness,  or  its  heart  and  liver  chase  away  evil  spir- 
its, and  allay  the  heat  of  concupiscence.  Let  us  con- 
tent ourselves  with  adoring  the  wonders  of  the  Al- 
mighty, and  with  knowing  that  it  pleased  God  on  this 
occasion  to  make  use  of  these  humble  instruments  of 
his  power  and  mercy  in  confounding  the  i)ower  of  the 
proud  infernal  spirit,  and  in  promoting  the  happiness 
of  his  own  faithful  servants. 

Ver.  10.     And  Tobias  said  to  him  (the  Angel):  Where  wilt  thou 

that  vre  lodge? 11.  And  the  Angel,  answering,  said:  Here  is 

one  whose  name  is  Raguel,  a  near  kinsmnn  of  thy  tribe,  and 
he  hath  a  daughter,  named  Sarah,  but  he  hath  no  other  son  or 

daughter  beside  her 12.  All  his  substance  is  due  to  thee, 

and  thou  must  take  her  to  wife 13.  Ask  her,  therefore,  of 

her  father,  and  he  will  give  her  to  thee. 

The  young  Tobias,  learning  from  his  guide  that  he 
was  now  drawing  near  to  the  end  of  his  journey,  be- 
gan to  inquire  where  himself  and  his  companion  were 
to  lodge.  The  Angel,  in  satisfying  him  upon  this 
question,  took  occasion  to  open  to  him  some  of  the 
secret  dispositions  of  divine  Providence  in  his  favour, 
telling  him  that  he  should  lodge  at  the  house  of  his 
relation  Raguel,  and  that  he  should  marry  the  daugh- 
ter of  his  kinsman,  and  inherit  his  property.  For  ac- 
cording to  the  Mosaic  law,  if  a  parent  had  no  male 
issue,  his  daughters  inherited  his  possessions,  but  with 
an  obligation  of  marrying  a  person  of  their  own  tribe 
and  family.  Tobias  was  no  stranger  to  the  history  of 
Sarah,  Raguel's  daughter,  as  appears  from  his  answer 
to  the  Angel,  when  he  had  mentioned  the  subject  of 
marriage  to  him.     For, 

Ver.  14.  Then  Tobias  answered  and  said:  I  hear  that  she  hath 
been  given  to  seven  husbands,  and  they  all  died:  moreover,  I 

have  heard  that  a  devil  killed  them. 15.  Now  I  am  afraid 

lest  the  same  thing  should  happen  to  me  also:  and  whereas  I 
am  the  only  child  of  my  parents,  I  should  bring  down  their  old 
age  with  sorrow  to  hell. 

The  miserable  and  untimely  dsath  of  Sarah's  seven 
husbands,  who,  in  punishment  of  their  lust,  had  been 


THE  BOOK  OP  TOBIAS.  1 49 

delivered  by  the  justice  of  God  to  the  power  of  an 
evil  spirit  for  destruction,  had  reached  the  ears  of  the 
young  Tobias,  and  filled  him  with  terror.  Not  know- 
ing as  yet  the  cause  of  their  unhappy  end,  he  trembled 
lest  the  same  fate  might  befall  himself;  and  being  ever 
alive  to  the  most  tender  feelings  of  filial  affection,  he 
feared  lest  by  a  similar  misfortune  he  should  over- 
whelm his  aged  parents  with  affliction,  and  bring  down 
their  grey  hairs  with  sorrow  to  the  grave.  The  holy 
Scripture  uses  the  word  hell  in  three  different  signifi- 
cations, generally  as  meaning  the  place  of  eternal  mis- 
ery, but  sometimes,  in  the  sense  of  the  word  grave; 
or,  at  other  times  as  the  place  of  rest,  in  which  the 
souls  of  the  ancient  Saints  were  detained  until  the  ac- 
complishment of  the  redemption  wrought  by  Jesus 
Christ.  In  either  of  the  latter  significations  it  may  be 
understood  in  the  present  portion  of  holy  writ. 

Ver.  16.  Then  the  angel  Raphael  said  to  him:  hear  me,  and  I  will 

shew  thee  who  they  are  over  whom  the  devil  can  prevail 

17.  For  they  who  in  such  manner  receive  matrimony,  as  to 
shut  out  God  from  themselves  and  their  mind,  and  to  give 
themselves  to  their  lust,  as  the  horse  and  the  mule,  which  have 
not  understanding,  over  them  the  devil  hath  power. 

Tobias  having  mentioned  his  fear  of  asking  Raguel's 
daughter  in  marriage,  in  consequence  of  the  dread- 
ful fate  of  her  former  husbands,  the  Angel  gives  him 
to  understand  that  their  miserable  death  was  the  pun- 
ishment of  their  lust,  and  of  the  criminal  dispositions 
with  which  they  entered  into  the  state  of  matrimony. 
The  sin  of  lust,  which  is  in  all  its  branches  and  in 
every  state  of  life  so  abominable  in  the  sight  of  God, 
is  the  peculiar  object  of  his  hatred  and  of  his  veri- 
geance,  when  committed  by  married  persons  in  direct 
violation  of  the  sanctity  of  their  state.  God  himself 
is  the  author  and  inslitutor  of  marriage.  He  was 
pleased  at  first  to  appoint  it  as  the  means  of  continu- 
ing to  the  end  of  time  a  race  of  beings,  who,  gifted 
13* 


150  FIFTEENTH  HOMlLY   OIJ 

with  an  immortal  soul  capable  of  rising  to  the  knowl- 
edge and  love  of  him  their  Creator,  might  form  a  con- 
stant succession  of  his  true  adorers  and  faithful  ser- 
vants.    The   glory  of  God  is  therefore  the  end  of 
marriage,  and  his  will  is  its  rule.     Whatever,  either 
in  the  intention  with  which  persons  enter  into  mar- 
riage, or  in  the  use  of  marriage,  is  not  referred  to  this 
end,  or  is  not  directed  by  this  rule,   is  irregular  and 
vicious,  and  sometimes  even  highly  criminal.     In  mar- 
riage every  thing  is  honourable,  every  thing  is  holy, 
if  we  consider  it  according  to  the  design  with  which 
God  instituted  it.     Much  more  is  it  holy,  if  we  con- 
sider it  in  the  dignity  to  which  Jesus  Christ  has  raised 
it  as  a  sacrament  of  the  New  Law,  and  as  a  mysteri- 
ous sign  of  the  indissoluble  union  which  subsists  be- 
tween Jesus  Christ  and  his  chaste  spouse  the  Church. 
Such  is  the  light   in  which   St.    Paul   represents   it 
(Ephes.  V.  23.),  and  the  Church  makes  use  of  the  same 
terms  in  conferring  the  nuptial  benediction,  in  order 
to  impress  upon  the  minds  of  her  children  the  holiness 
of  disposition  with  which  they  should  enter  the  mar- 
ried state.     To  engage  in  that  sacred  state  with  no 
other  intention  than  that  of  satisfying  a  base  and  car- 
nal passion,  is  to  imitate  the  horse  and  the  mule,  who, 
being  void  of  understanding,  know  no  other  rule  than 
the  momentary  impulse  of  nature;  it  is  prostituting  one 
of  the  most  sacred  institutions  of  the  Deity,  and  vol- 
untarily delivering  oneself  to  the  power  of  the  devil, 
like  the  seven  first  husbands  of  Sarah,  for  eternal  des- 
truction.    But,  alas!  my  beloved  brethren,  how  small 
is  the  number  of  young  persons,  who,  entering  into 
the  state  of  matrimony,  are  careful  to  banish  from  their 
souls   every  unbecoming   motive  of  carnal  passion, 
worldly  interest,  and  the  like!     How  few,  by  a  pure 
intention   of  God's  glory,   and  of  having  a  family; 
whom  they  may  bring  up  in  the  fear  and  love  of  God; 
by  watchfulness  over  their  conduct,  and  by  frequent 
and  fervent  prayer,  endeavour  to  draw  down  the  bles- 


THE  BOOK  OF   TOBIAS.  151 

sing  of  heaven  upon  their  marriage!  How  few  among 
those,  who  are  ah-eady  married,  live  up  to  the  holiness 
of  their  slate  and  sanctify  the  use  of  marriage  by  a 
holy  intention,  and  by  abstaining  from  all  actions  con- 
trary to  the  end  for  which  it  was  instituted!  Unhappi- 
ly the  greater  part  of  those  wiio  engage  in  matrimony, 
either  by  unguarded  conduct  before  hand,  or  by  hav- 
ing no  other  ends  in  view  when  they  enter  into  matri- 
mony than  the  gratification  of  their  passions,  or  by 
unbecoming  liberties  afterwards,  shut  out  God  from 
their  hearts,  draw  down  a  curse  upon  themselves  and 
their  families,  and  are  too  often  given  over  to  the  pow- 
er of  the  devil.  But  do  you,  dear  Christians,  to  whom 
I  am  now  addressing  myself  on  so  important  a  point  of 
duty,  give  ear  to  the  lessons  which  the  Angel  address- 
ed to  the  young  Tobias  respecting  his  marriage. 

Ver.  18.     But  thou,  when  thou  shalt  take  her,  go  into  the  cham- 
ber, and  for  three  days  keep  thyself  continent  from  her,  and 

give  thyself  to  nothing  else  but  to  prayer  with  her 19.  And 

on  that  night,  lay  the  liver  of  the  fish  on  the  fire,  and  the  devil 

shall  be  driven  away 20.  But  the  second  night  thou  shalt 

be  admitted  into  the  society  of  the  holy  Patriarchs 21.  And 

the  third  night  thou  shalt  obtain  a  blessing,  that  sound  children 

may  be  born  of  thee 22.  And  when  the  third  night  is  past, 

thou  shalt  take  the  virgin  with  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  moved 
rather  for  love  of  children  than  for  lust,  that  in  the  seed  of 
Abrahan*  thou  mayest  obtain  a  blessing  in  children. 

Some  part  indeed  of  the  Angel's  advice  to  Tobias, 
understood  literally,  regarded  that  holy  young  man  in 
particular,  and  consequently  is  not  meant  to  apply  to 
others;  such  as  the  abstaining  for  three  nights  from  the 
consummation  of  marriage,  the  burning  of  the  liver  of 
the  fish,  and  the  like.  But  what  is  spiritually  meant 
by  this  part  of  the  Angel's  advice,  is  applicable  to  all 
Christians  who  engage  in  marriage;  that  they  should 
take  care  to  enter  that  holy  state  free  from  the  violence 
of  passion,  and  consecrate  to  God  their  first  union  by 
a  pure  intention,  an  upright  desire  and  holy  prayer, 
that  as  Tobias  by  burning  the  liver  of  the  fish  drove 


152  FIFTEENTH  HOMILY  ON 

away  the  devil,  they  should  carefully  banish  all  carnal 
desires,  destroy  the  power  of  concupiscence,  by  a 
pure  motive  of  the  love  of  God,  and  by  fervent  united 
prayer  implore  his  blessing  upon  their  union,  both  for 
themselves  individually,  and  the  fruit  of  their  mar- 
riage. '1  he  Angel  exhorts  Tobias  to  take  the  virgin 
with  the  fear  of  the  Lord.  These  few  words  point 
out  a  rule  for  the  use  of  the  marriage-bed.  This  use 
is  holy  and  lawful  whenever  it  is  accompanied  by  the 
fear  of  the  Lord,  that  holy  fear  which  excludes  from 
the  heart  and  intention  every  thing  that  would  offend 
Him  who  is  infinite  purity  and  holiness.  Let  not 
married  persons  deceive  themselves  by  imagining  that, 
because  they  are  married,  every  thing  which  passion 
suggests  is  lawful.  To  think  thus,  is  to  be  ignorant 
of  the  very  first  principles  of  religion.  The  end  of 
marriage  is,  as  I  have  shewn  you,  the  glory  of  God 
and  the  generation  of  children.  Whatever  is  opposite 
to  this  end  in  the  conduct  of  married  persons,  is  a 
horrible  crime;  a  profanation  of  their  holy  state. 
Whatever  does  not  tend  to  this  end,  is  in  itself  irregu- 
lar and  displeasing  before  God.  Nor  are  married  per- 
sons exempt  from  sin,  if  they  seek  for  the  mere  satis- 
fying of  carnal  pleasure  in  the  use  of  marriage,  rather 
than  the  fulfilment  of  the  end  for  which  it  was  insti- 
tuted. Would  to  God,  that  all  married  persons  were 
impressed  with  a  due  sense  of  the  holiness  of  their 
state,  and  the  duties  which  it  imposes  upon  them!  But, 
alas!  how  little  are  these  duties  know^n;  how  seldom 
are  they  thought  of;  and,  consequently,  how  few  are 
the  marriages  which  are  accompanied  with  the  bles- 
sing of  heaven!  How  great  is  the  number  of  those 
which  have  an  evident  curse  entailed  upon  them,  both 
for  time  and  eternity! — A  the  state  of  marriage  is  that 
which  the  greater  part  of  mankind  embrace,  it  is  most 
undoubtedly  true,  that  the  happiness  or  misery  of  a 
great  proportion  of  mankind,  depends  upon  the  man- 
ner in  which,  they  engage  in  it.   Sensible  of  this  truth, 


THE   BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  153 

I  earnestly  conjure  you  to  whom  I  now  address  my- 
self, ever  to  bear  in  mind  the  holiness  of  that  state, 
and  the  end  for  which  it  was  instituted.  If  you  are 
already  engaged  in  matrimony,  endeavour  to  make 
yourselves  acquainted  ivith  every  branch  of  the  truly 
important  duties  of  your  state,  and  carefully  abstain 
from  whatever  is  contrary  to  the  holy  use  of  marriage. 
If  you  are  looking  forward  to  that  state  of  life,  have 
chiefly  in  view  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  sanctifica- 
tion  of  your  souls;  be  watchful  over  all  your  conduct, 
especially  when  in  company  with  those  for  whom  you 
entertain  an  affection,  and  take  care  that  no  unbecom- 
ing thought,  desire,  or  action,  stain  the  purity  of  soul, 
or  shut  the  door  of  your  heart  against  the  grace  and 
love  of  God.  By  fervent  prayer,  by  faithfully  follow- 
ing the  advice  of  your  director,  and  by  frequenting 
the  holy  sacraments,  secure  the  benediction  of  heaven 
upon  your  undertaking.  Thus  will  you  shaie  in  the 
blessings  which  the  Angel  promised  to  Tobias;  viz. 
the  devil  shall  be  driven  far  from  you;  your  name  shall 
be  enrolled  with  the  names  of  the  holy  patriarchs,  as 
inheritors  of  the  divine  blessing,  and  heirs  of  eternal 
life;  and  lastly,  the  blessing  of  heaven  shall  extend  to 
the  fruit  of  your  marriage,  and  shall  communicate 
itself  to  your  children,  who,  blessed  with  soundness 
and  health  of  body,  and  with  virtuous  dispositions  of 
soul,  shall  prove  a  source  of  joy  and  comfort  to  you 
during  life,  and  at  the  last  day  shall  enter  with  you 
into  the  possession  of  that  eternal  bliss  which  God 
has  promised  to  those  who,  like  Abraham,  faithfully 
serve  and  adore  him. 


154  SIXTEENTH  HOMILY  ON 


SIXTEENTH  H01MEIX.Y- 


Chap.  VII.  ver-  1.     And  they  went  in  to  Raguel,  and  Raguel  re- 
ceived them  with  joy 2.  And  Raguel  lookiog  upon  Tobias, 

said   to   Anna   his  wife:  How  lilce  is  this  young  man  to  my 

cousin? 3.  And  when  he  had  spoken  these  words  he  said: 

Whence  are  ye,  young  men  our  brethren? 4.  But  they  said: 

We  are  of  the  tribe  of  Nephthaliof  the  captivity  of  Ninive 

5.  And  Raguel  said  to  them:  Do  you  know  Tobias  my  brother? 

And  they  said:  We  know  him 6.  And  when  he  was  speaking 

many  good  things  of  him,  the  Angel  said  to  Raguel:  Tobias, 
concerning  whom  thou  inquirest,  is  this  young  man's  father 

7.  And  Raguel  went  to  him,  and  kissed  him  with  tears,  and 
weeping  upon  his  neck,  said:  A  blessing  be  upon  thee,  my  son, 
because  thou  art  the  son  of  a  good  and  most  virtuous  man 

8.  And  Anna  his  wife  and  Sarah  their  daughter  wept. 

Tobias  and  his  heavenly  guide  on  their  arrival  at 
the  house  of  his  kinsman  Raguel,  with  whom  the 
Angel  had  told  him  that  they  should  lodge,  is  received 
with  that  hearty  welcome,  and  those  outward  marks 
of  joy,  that  plainly  designated  the  inward  satisfaction 
which  Raguel  felt  in  discharging  the  duties  of  friend- 
ship and  hospitality.  A  cheerful  countenance  adds 
greatly  to  the  weight  of  a  favour;  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  coldness  of  behaviour,  and  a  seeming  reluctance 
in  exercising  an  act  of  friendship  or  benevolence,  take 
away  a  great  part  of  the  merit  as  well  as  the  value  of 
a  kind  action.  It  was  the  saying  of  a  heathen  philoso- 
pher, that  he  who  gives  readily  and  cheerfully,  con- 
fers a  double  favour:  "^zs  dat,  qui  citb  dat.'''' — in  di- 
recting us  to  fulfil  the  obligations  of  kindness  and  be- 
nevolence towards  our  fellow-creatures,  the  holy 
Scripture  mentions  cheerfulness  as  one  of  the  disposi- 
tions that  should  always  accompany  such  actions. 
"God,"  says  St.  Paul,  Hoves  a  cheerful  giver.''''  '-'■Use 
hospitality^''''  says  St.  Peter,  ''o?ie  towards  another^ 
without  murmuring.    As  every  man  hath  received  grace^ 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  155 

ministering  the  same  one  to  another,  as  good  stewards 
of  the  manifold  grace  of  God "  1  Peter  iv.  8,  9. 
JNJoreover,  in  exercising  friendship  and  hospitality 
towards  either  friends  or  strangers,  we  must  not  only 
banish  all  coldness,  murmuring,  and  seeming  reluc- 
tance, we  must  be  careful  not  only  to  avoid  all  sordid 
or  worldly  motives  from  such  actions,  but  sanctify 
them  by  a  pure  intention  of  pleasing  God.  In  them 
we  perform  one  of  the  most  common,  though  at  the 
same  time  one  of  the  most  amiable  duties  of  brotherly 
love.  It  was  thus  that  the  holy  Tobias,  his  kinsman 
Raguel,  and  the  great  father  of  these  and  the  other 
servants  of  God  among  his  chosen  people,  Abraham, 
exercised  the  duties  of  benevolence,  friendship,  and 
hospitality,  towards  their  fellow-creatures.  Raguel, 
as  soon  as  the  Angel  and  Tobias  entered  his  house,  re- 
ceived his  visitors  with  joy;  though  he  did  not  yet 
know  who  they  were,  or  whence  they  came.  Listen- 
ing only  to  the  dictates  of  a  kind  and  benevolent  heart, 
he  gave  them  a  truly  hospitable  reception.  In  the 
countenance  of  the  young  Tobias  he  discovered  a  re- 
semblance of  his  own  virtuous  relation,  the  elder 
Tobias;  for  whom  he  appears  to  have  entertained  not 
only  the  affection  of  a  friend,  but  a  very  high  degree 
of  veneration,  on  account  of  his  great  virtues.  As 
soon,  therefore,  as  he  had  welcomed  the  strangers  to 
his  house,  he  asked  them  whence  they  came,  and  hear- 
ing that  they  came  from  Ninive,  and  belonged  to  the 
tribe  of  Nephthali,  he  enquired  after  his  old  and  vir- 
tuous friend  Tobias,  whom  he  called  his  brother,  that 
is,  in  the  language  of  Scripture,  a  near  relation.  Being 
told  that  his  visitors  were  well  acquainted  with  that 
holy  man,  Raguel  could  no  longer  refrain  from  expres- 
sing his  sentiments  of  esteem  and  veneration  for  him. 
He  spoke  with  admiration  of  his  virtues,  saying  many 
good  things  of  him,  and  passed  a  high  encomium  on 
his  holy  life  and  edifying  conduct. 

See,  dear  Christians,  the  force  of  good  example, 


156  SIXTEENTH   HOMILY  ON 

how  widely  its  influence  spreads,  how  great  is  its  ef- 
ticacy,  and  how  admirable  its  fruits!  Though  Tobais 
was,  in  comparison  with  many  others,  an  obscure  in- 
dividual, the  fame  of  his  virtues  had  reached  his 
brother  captives  at  a  very  great  distance,  and  no  doubt 
many  were  influenced  by  his  holy  example  to  lead  a 
life  of  piety,  to  bear  their  afflictions  with  resignation, 
to  despise  the  world,  and  to  consecrate  their  lives  to 
the  practice  of  virtue.  "  To  every  one,''^  says  the  wise 
man,  "/lai/i  God  given  charge  of  his  neighbour.''''  Wis- 
dom. And  while,  on  the  one  hand,  we  are  bound  to 
abstain  from  whatever  in  word  or  action  might  prove 
an  injury  to  our  neighbour,  especially  as  to  his  soul; 
we  are,  on  the  other  hand,  under  a  strict  obligation  of 
endeavouring  to  promote  his  spiritual  welfare  and  sal- 
vation, at  least  by  holy  example  and  pious  convprsa- 
tion.  That  there  is  nothing  which  lias  so  powerful  an 
influence  on  the  conduct  of  mankind  as  example,  every 
one  who  pays  the  slightest  attention  to  what  daily 
passes  in  the  world  must  be  fully  convinced.  Alas ! 
what  more  successful  engine  does  the  devil  emploj  for 
the  destruction  of  souls,  than  the  evil  example  of  the 
wicked  Like  a  torrent  unrestrained  in  its  devastating 
course,  evil  example  sweeps  down  every  thing  before 
it,  and  not  only  hurries  along  with  it  into  the  infernal 
gulph  the  vicious,  the  tepid,  and  the  lukewarm  Chris- 
tian, but  too  often  undermines  the  foundations  of  solid 
piety,  and  proves  the  eternal  destruction  of  many  v^^ho 
would  have  been  Saints  had  they  possessed  the  courage 
to  withstand  the  force  of  evil  example.  On  the  other 
hand,  how  efficacious  is  the  edifying  example  of  but 
one  of  God's  faithful  servants !  How  many  by  that 
e^mple  are  reclaimed  from  the  path  of  vice;  how 
many  are  confirmed  in  virtue,  encouraged  to  fight 
manfully  the  battles  of  their  Lord,  taught  to  triumph 
over  the  obstacles  to  salvation,  and  conducted  to  their 
crown!  The  gift  of  tongues,  and  the  power  of 
working  miracles,  which  the  Almighty  bestowed  upon 


I 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  157 

*he  first  Christians,  did  not  half  so  much  towards  ef- 
fecting the  conversion  of  the  heathen  world,  as  did 
their  holy  lives,  their  edifying  conversation,  and  the 
bright  light  of  their  incomparable  virtues.  Their 
preaching,  unaccompanied  by  the  practice  of  virtue, 
would  have  been  an  empty  sound;  their  miracles  might 
have  excited  momentary  sensations  of  wonder  and 
astonishment;  but  unsubdued  by  conviction,  th'e  hes- 
thens  would  have  entertained  no  other  sentiments  than 
those  of  contempt  for  the  preachers,  and  indifference 
to  their  cause.  But  when  they  saw  those  who  thus  an- 
nounced themselves  as  having  credentials  from  heaven 
to  communicate  tidings  of  salvation  to  the  world,  ex- 
hibiting at  the  same  time  a  bright  example  of  every 
virtue;  when  they  beheld  them  pioiis,>  meek,  disin- 
terested, poor  in  spirit,  despising  the  world,  charitable 
even  to  their  greatest  enemies,  and  willing  to  lay  down 
their  lives  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of 
souls;  unable  to  withstand  the  bright  glare  of  convic- 
tion which  the  torch  of  truth  thus  presented  to  their 
minds,  they  renounced  their  prejudices,  embraced  not 
only  the  doctrines  but  the  virtues  of  their  Apostles, 
and  animated  with  the  same  spirit,  ennobled  and  pro- 
pagated the  faith  by  a  similar  edifying  awdf  holy  ex-' 
ample. 

You,  my  beloved  brethren  and  feilow-membeis  of 
the  holy  Catholic  Church,  have,  by  a  distinguishing 
act  of  God's  mercy,  been  called  to  the  true  faith;  you 
have  succeeded  to  this  rich-  smd  glorious  inheritance, 
the  pledge  of  God's  love  for  you,  and  the  foundation 
of  your  own  best  hopes.  Like  the  first  Christians, 
you  live  in  the  midst  of  those  who  view  the  faith 
which  you  profess  th?0'.igh  the  medium  of  misrepre- 
sentation and  prejudice,  and  look  upon  yourselves  with 
an  eye  of  ridicule  and  contempt.  Cut  off  from  the 
unity  of  the  fold  of  Christ,  and  strangers  to  the  bles- 
sings that  are  to  be  found  only  in  the  communion  of 
the  true  Church  of  Christ,  they  have  the  strongest  of 
14 


158  SIXTEENTH  HOMILY  ON 

claims  upon  your  charity  and  compassion.  You  are? 
bound  daily  to  implore  at  the  throne  of  mercy,  the 
grace  of  their  conversion;  and  much  more  are  you 
under  the  strictest  obligation  of  labouring  to  bring 
them  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  by  good  example. 
If  your  souls  are  warmed  with  one  spark  of  gratitude 
for  the  inestimable  spiritual  benefits  wliich  God  has 
bestowed  upon  yourselves;  if  your  breasts  feel  the 
least  glow  of  true  charity;  if  you  are  animated  with 
any  real  love  for  that  Saviour  who  gave  himself  a 
victim  for  man;  can  you  behold  those  souls,  for  whom 
he  died  no  less  than  for  you,  wandering  in  the  paths 
of  infidelity  or  error,  in  danger  of  eternal  destruction, 
and  not  feel  the  obligation  of  endeavouring,  by  a  holy 
life  and  pious  conversation,  to  procure  their  conver- 
sion, and  promote  their  eternal  salvation.''  They  hear 
you  continually  boasting  of  the  holiness  of  your  faith, 
and  of  the  Church  to  which  you  belong;  and  some- 
times, perhaps,  witness  the  able  defence  which  you 
make  of  your  religion,  when  attacked,  in  the  way  of 
argument.  But,  believe  me,  they  judge  of  the  merits 
of  your  cause,  not  by  your  words  or  professions,  but 
by  your  actions  and  your  lives.  If,  then,  while  they 
hear  you  loudly  proclaiming  and  defending  the  truth  of 
your  faith  by  argument,  they  see  your  lives  pass  in  a 
slothful  neglect  of  some  of  the  most  essential  duties  of 
a  Christian,  or  stained  with  crimes  that  would  disgrace 
even  a  heathen,  either  proud  of  their  own  moral  su- 
periority, or  disgusted  with  your  shameful  inconsis- 
tency of  conduct,  they  become  more  deeply  rooted 
than  ever  in  their  prejudices  against  your  religion,  and 
more  ready  to  believe  the  foul  aspersions  thrown  out 
against  your  faith.  My  God!  what  accumulated  ven- 
geance will  one  day  fall  upon  the  heads  of  those  un- 
happy men  who  shall  stand  accused  of  having  thus 
brought  a  scandal  upon  religion  by  their  wicked  lives, 
and  of  having  proved  an  obstacle  instead  of  a  help  to 
the  conversion  and  salvation  of  their  neighbour!  When 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  159 

I  look  at  the  lives  of  some  among  you  who  now  hear 
me,  and  reflect  at  the  same  lime  on  the  terrible  account 
which  God  will  one  day  demand  from  you,  of  the  use 
you  have  made  of  the  true  faith,  and  the  blessings  at- 
tached to  it,  I  am  struck  with  horror,  and  could  almost 
wish,  with  the  Apostle,  that  I  might  sink  into  annihi- 
lation rather  than  witness  the  dreadful  scene  of  your 
judgment  and  condemnation.  In  labouring  as  a  minis- 
ter of  God  to  reclaim  the  ignorant  and  the  sinner, 
there  is  no  greater  obstacle  which  I  meet  with  than 
the  evil  examples  and  disedifying  lives  of  those  among 
you  who  live  not  up  to  the  holiness  of  your  faith.  Uh! 
that  I  could  prevail  upon  every  one  of  you,  my  dear 
flock  in  Jesus  Christ,  by  a  virtuous  conduct,  and  the 
steady  practice  of  every  duty,  to  labour  with  me  in 
propagating  the  true  faith,  and  promoting  the  salvation 
of  souls !  What  happy  fruits  of  repentance  would 
then  crown  the  prayers  and  tears  of  our  holy  mother 
the  Church  on  earth,  and  give  joy  to  the  blessed 
spirits  in  heaven!  What  glorious  conversions  would 
adorn  the  Catholic  faith,  and  increase  the  happy  num- 
ber of  its  professors,  destined  to  be  heirs  of  eternal 
life!  There  is  not  one  among  you,  my  beloved  breth- 
ren, however  obscure  may  be  the  station  in  which 
Providence  has  placed  him,  who  has  it  not  in  his 
power,  by  a  holy  example,  to  aid  the  labours  of  his 
pastor,  to  co-operate  with  him  in  procuring  the  salva- 
tion of  some  one  or  other  of  those  dear  souls  for  whom 
Christ  died,  and  thus  secure  to  himself  a  share  in  that 
reward  which  is  promised  to  those  who  instruct  others 
unto  justice:  "they  shall  shine  like  stars  for  all  eterni- 
ty." Impressed  with  these  truths,  which  I  have  here 
delivered  to  you,  and  sensible  of  the  obligation  under 
which  you  are,  of  endeavouring,  at  least  by  good  ex- 
ample, to  promote  your  neighbour's  salvation,  let  it  be 
the  constant  practice  of  your  lives  to  manifest  in  your 
actions  the  holiness  of  the  faith  which  you  profess. 
Like  the  good  Tobias,  spread  around  you  the  sweet 


160  SIXTEENTH  HOMILY  ON 

odour  of  a  holy  life  and  virtuous  conversation.  -'L^ 
your  light  so  shine  befoi-e  men,  that  they  may  see  your 
good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  who  is  in  heaveti.^^ 
Matt.  V.  1 6.  '■'■Having  your  conversation  good  among 
the  Gentiles,  (the  adversaries  of  your  faith,)  that 
whereas  they  speak  against  you  as  evil  doers,  consider- 
ing you  by  your  good  works,  they  may  give  glory  to 
God  in  the  day  oj  visitation?''  1  Peter,  ii.  1 2.  But, 
my  beloved  brethren,  the  happy  fruits  of  your  good 
example  and  virtuous  lives  will  not  be  confined  to  the 
propagation  of  the  true  faith,  and  the  conversion  and 
salvation  of  your  neighbours.  Great  indeed  as  are 
these  fruits,  there  are  other  no  less  happy  efFects, 
vrhich  will  flow  from  your  edifying  lives.  The  heart 
may  conceive,  but  neither  the  tongue  nor  the  pen  can 
express,  that  delicious  feast  of  the  soul,  that  inward 
delight  and  satisfaction,  that  holy  and  unmixed  joy 
which  enraptures  the  mind  at  the  consciousness  of  a 
life  spent  in  virtue!  The  past  time  full  of  merit,  the 
present  gilded  with  hope,  the  future  crowned  with  a 
glorious  reward,  all  present  to  the  soul  of  the  truly 
just  man  and  faithful  servant  of  God,  an  uninterrupted 
source  of  consolation  and  holy  joy,  and  furnish  him 
upon  earth  with  a  foretaste  of  heaven. 

Moreover,  the  virtuous  Christian  reaps  another  most 
excellent  fruit  of  his  holiness  of  life,  and  pious  ex- 
ample, in  the  blessing  of  heaven  upon  those  who  are 
most  dear  to  him,  his  children  and  family.  He  be- 
holds these  tender  plants,  nurtured  by  his  care,  and 
trained  by  his  holy  example,  growing  to  maturity,  rich 
in  every  virtue,  propping  and  consoling  his  declining 
years,  and  throwing  a  shade  of  comfort  and  joy  even 
over  his  grave.  This  the  holy  Scripture  unfolds  to  us 
in  the  history  of  Tobias,  both  in  the  present  portion  of 
it  under  our  consideration,  and  in  other  parts  of  it. 
Kaguel,  who  had  long  been  an  admirer  of  the  virtues 
of  Tobias,  was  overjoyed  when  he  found  that  his  visi- 
tors were  acquainted  with  tliat  holy  man.     But,  vvhea 


THE  BOOR  OF  TOBIAS.  161 

informed  by  the  Angel  that  the  young  man  who  ac- 
companied him  was  the  son  of  his  virtuous  friend,  he 
could  no  longer  restrain  his  tears.  Himself,  his  wife, 
and  daughter,  wept  for  joy,  beholding  in  the  young 
Tobias  the  happy  fruits  of  his  father's  pious  care,  and 
an  image  of  his  virtue.  Raguel,  falling  upon  the  young 
man's  neck,  embraced  him,  and  exclaimed:  "A  bles- 
sing be  upon  thee,  my  child,  because  thou  art  the  son 
of  a  good  and  most  virtuous  man." 

Heaven,  my  beloved  brethren,  rewards  in  children 
the  virtues  of  their  parents.  As  you  value  then  the 
happiness  of  your  tender  offspring,  crown  all  your 
other  endeavours  for  their  good,  by  a  holy  and  virtu- 
ous example.  Without  this,  all  the  lessons  of  virtue 
which  you  may  give  them  will  be  fruitless;  accompa- 
nied with  good  example,  your  lessons  will  take  root 
in  their  minds,  and  bring  forth  fruit  in  season.  In- 
heriting from  you  the  rich  treasure  of  virtue,  they  will 
inherit  together  with  it,  the  blessing  of  heaven.  Like 
the  young  Tobias,  during  their  journey  through  this 
mortal  life,  they  will  be  under  the  special  guidance  of 
divine  Providence;  each  circumstance  of  their  lives 
will  mark  the  all-protecting  care  of  the  Deity;  the 
Angel  of  the  Most  High  will  guide  their  steps,  direct 
their  ways,  counsel  them  in  their  doubts,  remove  their 
dangers,  console  their  afflictions,  receive  their  expiring 
breath,  and  conduct  their  souls  to  the  mansions  of 
eternal  felicity. 


14* 


162  SEVENTEENTH  HOMILV  ON 


S£.Vi:2TT£ENTfi  EOMZLY. 

Chap.  VII.  ver.  9.     And    after   they  had   spoken,    Raguel  com- 
manded a  sheep  to  be  killed,  and  a  feast  to  be  prepared.    And 

when  he  desired  them  to  sit  down  to  dinner, 10.    Tobias 

said:  I  will  not  eat  or  drink  here  this  day,  unless  thou  first 
grant  me  my  petition,  and  promise  to  give  me  Sarah  thy 
daughter. 

You  have  seen,  my  beloved  brethren,  the  cheerful- 
ness and  joy  with  which  Raguel  received  his  visitors, 
even  before  he  knew  u'ho  they  were,  or  wlience  they 
came.  But  when  he  learned  that  one  of  these  strangers 
was  the  son  of  his  revered  kinsman  Tobias,  he  wept 
for  joy.  As  soon  as  he  had  given  vent  to  the  feelings 
of  nature,  and  passed  a  short  time  in  friendly  inquiries 
and  social  conversation,  Raguel  ordered  a  feast  to  be 
prepared  for  the  entertainment  of  his  guests;  and  when 
it  was  ready,  invited  them  to  dinner.  But  the  young 
Tobias,  who  had  previously  received  instructions  from 
his  heavenly  guide  in  what  manner  he  was  to  act,  de- 
clared to  Raguel,  that  he  would  neither  eat  nor  drink 
in  his  house  unless  his  kinsman  would  first  consent  to 
give  him  his  daughter  in  marriage.  This  sudden  decla- 
ration of  Tobias  may  at  first  sight  appear  strange;  but 
there  is  no  doubt,  that,  in  the  conversation  whicii  had 
passed  between  Raguel  and  Tobias  the  important  sub- 
ject of  the  marriage  of  his  daughter  had  been  touched 
upon.  Indeed  the  Greek  text  clears  up  the  difficulty, 
relating  the  conversation  of  these  holy  men  more  at 
length,  and  mentioning  certain  circumstances  which 
preceded  and  naturally  led  to  the  apparently  strange 
and  hasty  declaration  of  the  young  Tobias.  This  holy 
young  man,  attentive  to  the  Angel's  advice  and  direc- 
tions, after  the  first  salutations  of  friendship  were  over, 
asked  Sarah  in  marriage  of  her  father.  Raguel,  full 
of  affection  for  Tobias,  and  knowing  what  had  hap- 


THE  BOOIC  OF  TOBIAS.  163 

pened  to  the  former  husbaiids  of  his  daugliler,  at  the 
same  time  that  he  expressed  the  most  sincere  regard 
for  the  young  man,  advised  him  to  give  up  all  thoughts 
of  the  marriage,  and  rather  think  of  making  merry, 
and  enjoying  himself  by  sitting  down  to  the  feast  pre- 
pared for  him.  It  was  then  that  Tobias,  instructed  by 
the  Angel,  solemnly  declared  that  lie  would  not  eat  or 
drink  with  his  kinsman,  unless  he  would  first  consent 
to  his  marriage  with  Sarah.  The  book  of  Genesis, 
xxiv.  35.  records  an  example  of  a  similar  behaviour 
on  the  part  of  Abraham's  servant,  Eliezer,  when  he 
was  sent  by  his  master  to  demand  Rebecca  in  mar- 
rirge  for  his  son  Isaac.  Eliezer  being  arrived  at  the 
house  to  which  he  had  been  sent,  was  immediately  in- 
vited to  take  some  jefreshment;  but  he  replied,  I  will 
not  eat  until  I  have  declared  to  you  the  business  upon 
which  1  am  come."  In  effect,  he  did  not  sit  down  to 
table  until  he  had  received  a  promise  that  Rebecca 
should  return  with  him  to  espouse  his  master's  son 
Isaac. 

Another  difficulty,  arising  from  the  conduct  of  the 
young  Tobias  on  this  occasion,  here  presents  itself. 
Is  it  not  astonishing  that  this  holy  young  man,  w^ho  in 
all  other  circumstances  of  his  lii'e  appears  to  have 
been  influenced  by  such  sentiments  of  respect  and  af- 
fection for  his  parents,  should  have  thought  of  engag- 
ing himself  in  n  arriage  without  their  consent,  nay, 
without  having  so  much  as  consulted  them.-'  For,  it 
may  be  asked,  is  it  not  a  part  of  the  duty  which  chil- 
dren owe  to  their  parents,  to  consult  them  on  this  im- 
portant step,  and  to  follow  their  directions.''  Yes,  dear 
Christians,  it  is  most  undoubtedly  the  duty  of  young 
persons  thus  to  act,  and  a  duty  of  strict  obligation, 
from  which  nothing  can  excuse  them,  but  either  the 
inability  to  comply  with  it,  or  an  evident  opposition 
between  the  will  of  their  parents  and  that  of  Almighty 
God.  It  may  sometimes  happen  that  vicious  or 
worldly-minded  parents,  who  have  nothing  in  view  but 


164  SEVENTEENTH   HOMILY  ON 

temporal  motives,  may  advise  their  children  to  con- 
tract marriages  which  would  endanger  their  eternal 
salvation;  or,  actuated  by  the  same  unchristian  motives, 
may  oppose  their  making  such  an  engagement  in  the 
married  state,  as  the  will  of  God,  learnt  by  holy 
prayer  and  the  advice  of  their  director,  manifestly 
points  out  for  them.  In  such  cases,  children  are  cer- 
tainly to  prefer  the  will  of  God  and  their  eternal  sal- 
vation, before  the  corrupt  motives  and  perverse  will 
of  their  parents;  but  preserving,  at  the  same  time,  both 
in  their  inward  sentiment  and  in  their  outward  be- 
haviour, that  respect  and  affection,  from  which  nothing 
can  dispense  them. 

The  young  Tobias,  at  the  time  of  his  proposal  of 
marriage  with  Sarah,  was  at  the  distance  of  many  days 
journey  from  his  parents,  and  it  was  therefore  impos- 
sible for  him  to  make  known  to  them  his  intentions 
and  ask  their  consent.  Besides,  he  acted  on  this  oc- 
casion by  the  direction  of  the  heavenly  guide,  whom 
Providence  had  deputed  to  conduct  his  steps.  He 
did  not  indeed  know  as  yet  that  his  companion  was 
actually  an  Angel  of  the  Lord;  but  by  the  pietv,  pru- 
dence, and  excellent  instructions  which  he  had  receiv- 
ed from  his  guide,  accompanied  by  the  interior  mo- 
tions of  grace  with  which  the  Holy  Ghost  at  the  same 
time  touched  his  own  heart,  he  was  convinced  that 
God  spoke  by  the  mouth  of  his  companion  and  direc- 
tor, and  consequently  that  it  was  his  duty  faithfully  to 
put  in  practice  all  his  counsels  and  instructions. 

I  have  before  observed  to  you,  my  beloved  brethren, 
that  the  care  which  the  Angel  Raphael  took  of  the 
young  Tobias,  is  an  emblem  of  the  invisible  protection 
afforded  us  by  the  holy  Angels  whom  God  has  appoint- 
ed to  be  our  guardians  during  our  mortal  pilgrimage. 
The  history  of  the  young  Tobias,  moreover,  discov- 
ers to  our  view  some  of  those  admirable  springs 
by  which  divine  Providence  directs  the  visible  crea- 
tion, and  so  disposes  both  the  animate  and  inanimate 


I'HE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  1 65 

fjart  of  it  as  to  promote  the  good  of  his  elect.  In  the 
Iruly  important  affair  of  the  marriage  of  Tobias,  an 
affair  on  which  the  happiness  of  this  young  man  for 
time  and  eternity  so  much  depended,  nothing  is  left 
thai,  can  be  ascribed  to  chance  or  human  prudence;  all 
is  guided  and  directed  by  the  hand-  of  Gcd  in  the  clear- 
est manner,  to  shew  that  a  holy  and  happy  marriage  is 
the  work  of  God  and  not  of  men.  "Father  and  mo- 
ther," says  the  book  of  Provej-bs,  "give  houses  and 
riches;  but  it  is  the  Lord  himself  wiio  gives  a  wise 
wife,"  xix.  14.;  that  is,  a  wife  filled  with  piety  and  the 
fear  of  the  Lord;  for,  in  the  language  of  holy  Scrip- 
ture, wisdom  and  piety  are  inseparable  from  each 
other.  The  same  truth  the  Church  of  God  inculcates 
in  the  prayer  which  she  offers  up  at  the  end  of  tlie 
mass  that  is  celebrated  for  imploring  the  blessing  of 
heaven  upon  a  Christian  marriage:  "O  God,  who  alone 
art  master  of  the  heart  of  man,  who  knowest  and  gov- 
ernest  all  things  by  thy  Providence,  if  thou  joinest  to- 
gether, no  one  can  separate;  if  thou  givest  a  blessing, 
no  one  can  hinder  the  salutary  effects  of  thy  benedic- 
tion." 

A  holy  and  happy  marriage  is  therefore  the  work 
of  God,  and  at  the  same  time  one  of  his  choicest  bles- 
sings. The  christian  who  hopes  to  enjoy  this  blessing, 
must  dispose  hiPiiself  for  it  by  entering  into  that  holy 
state  with  a  pure  intention  of  the  glory  of  God,  and 
of  answering  the  end  for  which  matrimony  was  insti- 
tuted. But  that  he  may  not  fail  in  this  truly  important 
step,  he  must,  in  the  first  place,  seek  instruction,  and 
endeavour  to  make  himself  thoroughly  acquainted  with 
the  nature  of  this  sacred  institution,  the  dispositions 
requisite  for  approaching  to  it  worthily,  and  the  obli- 
gations arising  from  it.  For  your  instruction,  my  be- 
loved brethren,  I  intend  to  give  each  of  these  points  a 
full  and  clear  discussion. 

In  order  to  form  a  just  notion  of  marriage,  let  us  go 
back  to  its  first  institution  by  our  Creator  himself,  in 


166  SEVENTEENTH  HOMILY  ON 

the  garden  of  paradise.  After  the  formation  of  the 
first  man  Adam,  the  book  of  Genesis,  ii.  28,  represents 
Ahiiighty  God  as  speaking  and  acting  in  the  following 
manner.  "The  Lord  God  said:  It  is  not  good  fot  man 
to  be  alone.  Let  us  make  for  him  a  help  like  lo  him- 
self. Then  the;  Lord  God  sent  a  deep  sleep  upon 
Adam;  and  while  he  slept,  he  look  out  one  of  his  ribs; 
and  put  flesh  in  the  place  of  it;  and  the  Lord  God 
formed  the  woman  out  of  the  rib  which  he  had  taken 
from  Adam,  and  brought  her  to  Adam.  Then  Adam 
said:  this  is  now  bone  of  my  bone  and  flesh  of  my 
flesh. — For  this  reason,  man  shall  leave  his  Father 
and  mother,  and  shall  adhere  to  his  wife,  and  they  two 
shall  be  one  flesh."  These  words,  which,  as  the  Coun- 
cil of  Trent  observes,  the  first  man  spoke  by  the  in- 
spiration of  the  Holy  Ghost,  teach  us  that  marriage, 
according  to  its  first  institution,  is  an  union  of  man  and 
woman,  loraied  by  God  himself,  for  their  mutual  com- 
fort during  life;  an  union  more  close  than  that  which 
binds  us  to  those  from  whom  we  received  our  birth,  a 
union,  in  fine,  which  nothing  but  death  can  dissolve. 
"What  God  hath  put  together,  let  no  man  separate," 
says  our  divine  Redeemer,  speaking  of  the  bond  of 
marriage.  Such  was  the  marriage  union  in  its  natural 
state  and  primitive  institution.  But  in  the  New  Law, 
that  is,  in  the  Christian  dispensation,  this  natural  union 
is  raised  to  the  dignity  of  a  holy  union  and  religious 
ceremony,  blessed  with  the  grace  which  God,  by  vir- 
tue of  the  merits  and  the  institution  of  Jesus  Christ, 
has  annexed  to  the  ministry  of  the  Church  and  the 
nuptial  benediction,  in  order,  says  the  Council  of 
Trent,  to  perfect  the  natural  love  of  man  and  wife,  to 
confirm  tlieir  union,  and  to  sanctify  married  persons. 

The  apostle  St.  Paul  gives  us  a  still  higher  idea  of 
the  marriage  union  of  Christians,  telling  us,  that  it  is 
a  sign  and  mysterious  representation  of  the  holy,  spir- 
itual, and  indissoluble  union  which  subsists  between 
Jesus  Christ  and  his  chaste  spouse  the  Church.     Ex- 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBtAS.  167 

plaining  this  mystery  to  the  Ephesians,  he  says,  "Let 
women  be  subject  to  their  husbands  in  the  Lord,  for 
the  husband  is  the  head  of  the  wife,  as  Christ  is  the 
liead  of  the  Church.  Therefore,  as  the  Church  is 
subject  to  Christ,  so  also  let  wives  be  subject  to  their 
husbands  in  all  things.  And  you,  husbands,  love  your 
wives,  as  Christ  also  loved  the  Church  and  delivered 
himself  up  lor  it,  that  he  might  sanctify  it,  cleansing  it 
by  thelaverof  water  in  the  word  of  life;  that  he  might 
present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  Church,  not  having  spot 
or  wrinkle,  nor  any  such  thing,  but  that  it  should  be 
holy  and  without  blemish.  So  also  ought  men  to  love 
their  wives  as  their  own  bodies.  For  this  cause  shall 
a  man  leave  his  father  and  mother,  and  shall  cleave  to 
his  wife,  and  they  shall  be  two  in  one  flesh.  This  is 
a  great  mystery,  or  sacrament,  I  speak  in  Christ  and 
in  the  Church."  Eph.  v.  22,  &c.  I  wish  that  all 
Christians  who  are  already  engaged,  or  think  of  engag- 
ing, in  the  married  state,  would  weigh  well  these 
words  of  St.  Paul,  and  impress  upon  their  minds  the 
holiness  of  Christian  marriage.  The  Church  of  God, 
the  faithful  interpretei-  of  the  divine  word,  conforma- 
bly to  this  doctrine  of  the  Apostle,  has  ever  taught 
that  matrimony  is  one  of  the  sacraments  of  the  New 
Law,  that  is,  one  of  those  excellent  institutions  which 
the  divine  goodness  lias  appointed  for  conveying  to  the 
souls  of  Christians  the  grace  of  God.  Matrimony, 
says  the  holy  Council  of  Trent,  being  more  excellent 
in  the  evangelical  law  than  it  was  before  the  coming 
of  Christ,  on  account  of  the  grace  annexed  to  it  by 
Jesus  Christ,  it  is  with  reason  that  the  holy  Fathers, 
Councils,  and  the  universal  tradition  of  the  Church 
have,  in  every  age,  taught  that  it  is  to  be  reckoned 
among  the  sacraments  of  the  New  Law.  It  is  there- 
fore a  point  of  faith,  that  whoever  enters  into  the  mar- 
ried state  with  proper  views  and  intentions,  with  puri- 
ty of  conscience,  and  with  an  earnest  desire  of  sanc- 
tifying his  soul,  and  fulfilling  the  important  obligations 


VSS  SEVENTEEN  in  HOMIiit'  OJiT 

of  matrimony,  receives  by  virtue  of  this  sacred  insti-* 
tution,  an  abundant  supply  of  divine  grace  to  enable 
him  to  support  the  difiiculties  and  to  fulfil  the  duties 
of  that  holy  state.  But  this  supply  of  divine  grace  is 
given  to  those  only  who  bring  to  the  sacrament  of 
matrimony  the  holy  dispositions  which  I  have  just 
meiationed.  If  Christians,  therefore,  when  they  engage 
in  matrimony,  have  no  other  objects  in  view  than  the 
acquirement  of  a  fortune,  the  possession  of  beauty, 
wit,  or  talents-,  or  the  gratification  of  passion,  not  on- 
ly are  their  marriages  no  better  than  those  of  heathens, 
they  are  much  worse  in  the  sight  of  God,  being  so  ma- 
ny profanations  of  one  of  his  most  holy  and  most  mer- 
ciful institutions. 

The  apostle  St.  Paul  would  have  all  Christians,  as- 
truly  followers  of  Christ,  to  seek  the  divine  glory  in- 
every  circumstance  of  their  lives:  "Whether  you  eat 
or  drink,  or  whatev^er  else  you  do,  do  all  for  the  glory 
of  God."     1  Cor.  X.  31.     Of  how  much  more  conse- 
quence then,  and  of  how  much  greater  obligation  is  it,, 
that  we  should  act  under  the  guidance  of  this  truly 
Christian  principle  of  seeking  the  glory  of  God  when' 
we  perform  any  acts  of  religion,  more  especially  when 
we  approach  to  a«y  of  the  holy  sacraments:  of  which 
matrimony  is  one  and  one  of  very  great  importance, 
for  the  happiness  of  a  great  proporlion  of  Christians- 
is  closely  connected  with  it.     It  is  this  view  to  the' 
glory  of  God,  this  acting  from  a  spirit  of  religion,, 
which  properly  makes  a  Christian  marriage.     A  good 
Christian  engages  in  marriage,  not  from  any  motive  of 
worldly  interest,  ambition,  or  passion;  he  seeks  a  wife, 
with  whom,  in  the  midst  of  the  employments  and  oc- 
cupations of  the  world,  he  may  dedicate  a  due  propor- 
tion of  time  to  the  service  of  God  and  holy  prayer, 
who  may  share  with  him  the  pains  and  pleasures  of 
this  life  in  perfect  union  of  heart  and  affection,  and 
who  may  faithfully  concur  with  him  in  the  virtuous 
education  of  their  common  family.     These  are  the  ob- 


THE   BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  169 

jects  which  Christians  should  have  in  view  when  they 
think  of  entering  into  tlie  married  slate. 

Having  thus  explained  to  you,  at  length,  the  nature 
of  matrimony,  botli  in  its  primitive  institution  and  in 
its  new  dignity  as  a  sacrament  of  the  Clirisfian  Church, 
together  with  the  views  with  which  Christians  are  to 
engage  in  it,  I  sliall  reserve  for  another  discourse  the 
important  obligations  of  married  persons.  For  the 
present  I  shall  add  a  few  words  of  advice  to  young 
persons  on  the  pn^naration  necessary  for  those  who 
wish  to  secure  the  divine  blessing  upon  their  marriage. 
In  the  first  place,  as  their  engaging  in  marriage  is  one 
of  the  most  important  steps  of  their  whole  life,  and 
that  on  which  haj)piness  or  misery,  both  for  time  and 
eternity,  greatly  depends,  young  persons,  before  they 
come  to  any  determination  on  this  point,  should  endea- 
vour, by  holy  prayer  and  by  fervently  approaching 
from  time  to  time  to  the  holy  sacraments  of  penance 
and  the  eucharist,  to  learn  the  will  of  God;  whether 
it  is  conformable  to  his  will  thai  they  shou'd  enter  into 
that  state,  and  more  particularly  whether  the  object 
of  their  choice  is  agreeable  to  his  divine  appointment 
for  them.  In  the  second  place  after  having  used  their 
good  endeavours  to  learn  the  will  of  God  on  these  two 
important  points,  and  being  satisfied,  as  far  as  it  is  pos- 
sible to  be  satisfied  in  our  present  slate  of  darkness 
and  uncertainty,  both  by  their  own  inward  lights  and 
the  direction  of  their  pastor,  that  they  are  acting  in 
conformity  to  the  divine  will  in  entering  into  that  holy 
state,  let  them  continue  the  same  pious  means  of  pray- 
er and  the  holy  sacraments,  for  the  purpose  of  secur- 
ing a  continuance  of  the  divine  blessing,  and  for  ob- 
taining the  holy  dispositions  necessary  for  receiving 
the  graces  annexed  to  the  sacrament  of  matrimony. 
With  this  view,  let  them  ask  the  advice  of  their  spir- 
itual director;  and  faithfully  put  in  practice  the  rule 
of  conduct  and  the  pious  exercises  which  he  may  re- 
commend, for  some  time  before  their  marriage,  as 
15 


170  8EVENTEb^TH  HOMILY  ON 

fBOSt  proper  for  them.  Above  all,  let  them  during  this 
time  of  preparation  be  more  than  ordinarily  watchful 
over  their  actions,  more  careful  of  flying  from  sin  and 
the  occasions  of  it.  Few,  indeed,  are  the  young  per- 
sons who  thus  prepare  themselves  for  marriage,  and 
few,  consequently,  are  the  marriages  which  are  attend- 
ed with  the  blessing  of  heaven  upon  them.  As  God 
is  not  invited  to  be  present  at  them,  he  is  not  to  be 
found  at  them.  Now,  what  happiness  or  what  success 
can  be  expected  from  an  undertaking  which  has  not 
his  blessing  upon  it?  How  dreadful  must  be  the  effect, 
both  temporal  and  eternal,  of  an  union,  which  from  its 
sinful  motives,  and  unworthy  dispositions,  perhaps  too 
accompanied  with  a  profanation  of  the  sacraments,  is 
an  object  of  horror  in  the  divine  sight!  Do  you,  at 
least,  my  dear  children  in  Jesus  Christ,  sensible  of  the 
holiness  of  the  married  state,  its  difficulties  and  dan- 
gers, its  obligations,  and  the  happiness  which  attends 
it  when  accompanied  with  the  divine  blessing,  faithful- 
ly follow  the  rules  which  i  have  here  pointed  out  for 
the  regulation  of  your  conduct  in  preparing  for  it,  and 
you  will  infallibly  secure  to  your  souls  the  graces  that 
will  sanctify  your  marriage,  enable  you  to  surmount 
the  difficulties  of  that  state,  avoid  its  dangers,  and  ful- 
fil all  the  important  obligations  of  it: 


THE  BOOR  OF  TOBIAS. 


171 


EIGHTEENTH  HOMZLY. 

Chap.  VII.  ver.  11.  Now  when  Raguel  heard  this,  he  was  afraid, 
knowing  what  had  happened  ti)  lhi)se  seven  husbands  that  went 
in  unto  her;  and  he  began  to  tear  lest  it  might  happen  to  him 
(Tobias)  also  in  like  manner:  and  as  he  was  in  suspense,  and 

gave  no  answer  to  his  petition, 12.  The  Angel  said  to  him: 

Be  not  afraid  to  give  her  to  this  man:  for  to  him  who  feartth 
God  is  thy  daughter  due  to  be  his  wife:  therefore  another  could 

.    not  have  her. 

The  young  Tobias,  in  obedience  to  the  Angel's  di- 
rection, and  consequently  to  the  will  of  heaven,  had 
asked  for  Sarah  in  marriage;  and  to  shew  the  steady 
determination  of  his  mind,  had  declared  that  he  would 
not  x.at  wuW  Rasuel  until  he  had  given  his  consent  to 
the  marriage.  Raguel,  Knowing  the  dreadful  misfor- 
tune that  had  befallen  the  seven  first  husbands  of  his 
daughter,  feared  lest  a  similar  untimely  end  might  be 
the  fate  of  his  young  kinsman,  and  therefore  made  no 
reply  to  the  urgent  request  of  Tobias,  The  Angel 
then  interfered,  and  exhorted  Raguel  to  banish  his 
fears;  assuring  him  that  his  virtuous  kinsman  was  the 
person  whom  divine  Providence  had  destined  for  his 
son-in-law,  and  that  the  former  husbands  of  his  daugh- 
ter had  not  been  deserving  of  her.  After  this  assur- 
ance of  the  Angel,  Raguel  hesitated  not  a  moment, 
but  expressed  his  acquiescence  to  the  divine  appoint- 
ment in  these  words: 

Ver.  13.     Then  Raguel  said:  I  doubt  not  God  hath  regarded  my 

prayers  and  tears  in  his  sight 14.  And  1  believe  he  hath 

theicfore  made  ^ou  come  to  me,  that  this  maid  might  be  mar- 
ried to  one  of  her  ownkitidred,  according  to  the  law  of  Moses: 
and  now  doubt  not  but  I  will  give  her  to  thee. 

Raguel,  faithful  to  his  sacred  obligations  as  a  parent, 
was  not  content  with  having  given  his  daughter  a  vir^ 
luous  education  in  her  youth,  but  considered  it  a  part 


172  EIGHTEENTH  HOMILY  ON 

of  his  duty  to  pra}'  daily  for  the  blessing  of  heaven 
upon  his  child,  that  in  her  riper  years  she  might  marry 
agreeably  to  the  divine  will,  and  conformably  to  the 
law  of  Moses.  This  law,  as  I  have  before  observed, 
required  that  the  different  tribes  should  not  intermix 
with  each  other,  but  that  each  one  of  the  children  of 
Israel  should  select  a  partner  from  his  or  her  own  tribe. 
During  the  captivity  and  the  dispersion  of  ten  of  the 
tribes,  the  observance  of  this  law  was  become  ex- 
tremely difficult.  Yet  Raguel,  like  the  good  Tobias^ 
was  anxious,  notwithstanding  the  difficulty,  to  see  it 
fulfilled  in  his  family;  and  :;;ade  it  the  subject  of  his. 
daily  prayers  and  teaVs  that  heaven  would  enable  his 
daughter  to  comply  with  it.  His  conduct  in  this  res- 
pect is  a  model,  first,  for  all  parents,  teaching  them, 
that  one  of  their  most  important  duties  is  daily  prayer 
for  their  children;  and,  secondly.  <"'>-  o*ciy  t/'nnstian, 
inculcating  to  ihcm  Iiow  much  the  blessing  of  heaven 
depends  upon  their  strictly  fulfilling  the  divine  will, 
and  complying  with  the  laws  and  regulations  of  the 
Church  respecting  marriage.  It  is  the  duly  of  every 
Christian  to  be  well  acquainted  with  these  laws  of 
the  Church  of  God,  that  they  may  not  draw  a  curse 
upon  their  marriage  instead  of  a  blessing,  by  contract- 
ing matrimony  within  the  degrees  of  relationship  for- 
bidden by  the  Church,  or  celebrating  it  at  the  seasons 
in  which  the  Church  prohibits  the  solemnization  of 
marriage. 

Raguel  had  made  it  his  daily  prayer,  that  his  daugh- 
ter in  marrying  might  fulfil  the  law  and  will  of  God, 
and  his  prayer  was  heard.  As  soon  as  the  Angel  as- 
sured him  that  Tobias  was  the  husband  whom  God 
had  destined  for  his  daughter,  he  no  longer  hesitated 
a  moment  to  give  his  consent.  It  is  true,  that  neither 
Raguel  nor  Tobias  yet  knew  that  the  stranger  who 
was  with  them  was  an  Angel;  they  took  him  for  what 
he  appeared  to  be,  a  young  man  of  their  tribe  Still, 
there  was  something  in  the  very  mien  and  behaviour 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS. 


17S 


of  Raphael,  and  in  his  manner  of  speaking,  which 
appeared  more  than  human,  and  commanded  the  res- 
pect and  instant  assent  of  those  to  whom  he  addressed 
himself.  On  all  occasions  he  delivers  himself  with  an 
air  of  authority.  At  his  first  entrance  into  the  house 
of  the  elder  Tobias,  he  tells  him  with  confidence  that 
his  careffom  God  is  at  hand.  He  promises,  without 
any  hesitation  or  condition,  to  conduct  his  son  to  Rages, 
and  bring  him  back  in  safety.  He  bids  the  young  To- 
bias demand  Sarah  in  marriage,  assuring  him  ot  suc- 
cess. In  the  same  authoritative  tone,  he  dispels  the 
fears  and  anxieties  of  Raguel,  and  speaks  as  one  well 
acquainted  with  the  designs  of  Providence;  assunng 
him  that  his  daughter  was  destined  for  the  young  lo- 
bias,  and  for  that  reason  no  other  person  had  been  per- 
mitted to  have  her  for  a  wife.  All  the  holy  personages 
to  whom  he  addresses  himself,  place  in  a  moment  the 
most  implicit  confidence  in  him.  The  elder  Tobias, 
without  the  least  mistrust  or  suspicion,  confides  to  this 
stranger  the  care  of  his  darling  son,  for  whom  he  mani- 
fests on  other  occasions  such  extreme  prudence  and 
caution.  The  son  listens  with  the  utmost  docility  to 
the  advice  of  this  stranger,  and  practises  it  with  the 
greatest  exactness.  Raguel,  at  his  bare  assurance, 
changes  his  sentiments,  his  fears  vanish,  a  new  light 
breaks  in  upon  his  mind,  and  his  alarms  are  succeeded 
by  confidence  and  hope.  He  cries  out  with  joy, 
"Now  I  doubt  not  but  God  hath  regarded  my  pray- 
ers and  tears  in  his  sight;  and  I  believe  that  he  hath 
therefore  made  you  come  to  me  that  this  maid  might 
be  married  to  one  of  her  own  kindred,  according  to 
the  law  of  Moses:  and  now  doubt  not  but  I  will  give 
her  to  thee."  To  what  can  we  ascribe  this  venera. 
tion,  confidence,  and  docility,  which  these  holy  men 
testify  for  the  stranger  that  addresses  them,  but  to  the 
influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  secretly  animating  them 
to  follow  the  guidance  of  him  whom  it  had  deputed 
to  be  their  comfort  and  protection?  Raphael  discov. 
15* 


Hk 


EIGHTEENTH    HOMILY  ON 


ere  not  as  3^1  who  he  really  is;  hut  his  words  and  whole 
conduct  bespeak  him  something  greater  than  wiiat  he 
appears  Jo  be;  and  the  servants  of  God,  witl»  whom 
he  convei-ses,  ever  ready  to  testily  their  obedience  to 
the  divine  will,  hear  him  with  docility,  and  obey  him 
without  hesitation.  Oh!  that  Christians,  with  a  like 
spirit,  would  receive  and  Ibllow  the  nist ructions  of 
those  whorii,  « iih  a  much  greater  degree  of  certain- 
ty, God  has  pointed  out  to  them  as  the  guides  whom 
he  has  constituted  to  had  them  in  the  path  to  salvation, 
viz.  thfe  pastors  of  the  church! 

Vert  15.  Tlien  taliing  the  riglit-Jiaml  of  iiis  daughljer,  he  gave  it 
into  the  riglit-liatid  of  Ti.bias.  saving:  the  God  of  Abraliam, 
and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacot),  be  with  you,  aud 
may  he  join  you  togetlier,  and  fulfil  his  blessing  in  you. 

The  Catholic  Church,  in  the  celebration  of  matri- 
mony, makes  use  of  the  same  ceremony  of  joining 
hands,  as  an  emblem  ol  the  holy  union  of  man  and 
wife  in  marriage.    To  impress  more  strongly  upon  the 
minds  of  her  children  the  sanctity  of  the  married  state, 
the  Church  administers  the  sacrament  of  matrimony 
with  great  solemnity.     She  exhorts  those  who  come 
to   receive  this  sacrann-nt,  to  be  careful  to  dispose 
themselves  for  it  by  prayer  and  the  other  means  which 
I  pointed  out  to  you  in  my  last  instruction;  more  es- 
pecially, by  an  humble  and  sincere  confession  of  their 
sins,  and  the  worthy  participation  of  the  body  and 
blood  of  our  Lord.     The  marriage  ceremony  is  per- 
formed publicly,  that  is,  before  witness;  and  where 
the  Catholic  religion  is  protected  by  the  civil  law,  the 
banns,  or  public  declaration  of  each  intended  marriage, 
is  made  publicly  in  the  Church  on  three  preceeding 
*-'undays  or  festival  days,  in  order  that  the  faithful  may 
j;)iii  together  in  begging  the  blessing  of  heaven  upon 
the  married  cou|)le,  and  that  if  any  of  the  faithful 
know  of  any  circumstance  which  would  render  the 
marriage  either  null  or  criminal,  he  may  lay  it  open  to 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  175 

his  pastor,  and  prevent  the  profanation  of  the  sacra- 
ment.    When  nolliiiig  is  discovered  iliat  ought  to  pre- 
vent the  intended  maniage,  the  parties  present  them- 
selves, at  the  time  appointed,  hefue  their  pastor,  who 
interrogates  each  of  ihem  on  the  snhject  of  the  volun- 
tary consent.     After  this,  Ih'j.  parlies  testif}'  their  ac- 
ceptance of  each  other  l)y  an  union  of  hands,  and  the 
priest  confirms  that  union  in  the  name  of  the  Blessed 
'I'rinity.    He  then  hlesscs  the  nu[)tial  ring  with  a  form 
of  prayer  adapted  to  tiiat  [)tirpose,  and  prays  God  to 
be  present  at  and  give  his  hiessiiig  to  the  marriage. 
The  holy  saciKiee  of  the  ma-;s  is  tlien  ofiered  up,  at 
which    tlie  nu|;lial    benediction  is  given  in  the  most 
solemn   manner,  immediately  aft'T  the   Pater  Noster. 
At  the  end  of  \\\ii  mass,  the  minister  of  God   turning 
to  the  new  mariied  couple,  says,  "May  the  God  of 
Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac,  and   the   God  of  Jacob, 
be  with  you,  and  may  he  fuUtl  his  blessing  in  you;  that 
you  may  see  your  chihlren''s  children  unto  the  third 
and  fourth  generation,  and  afterwards  enjoy  everlast- 
ing life,  througli  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
who  lives  and  reigns  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  one  God,  vvorlil  w  itliout  end.  Amen."     This 
blessing,  on  t!ie  part  of  the  Clnirch,  is  a  prayer  that 
God,  who  is  the  source  of  all  benediction,  u'iHZ  6e  toii/i 
the  new  married  couiih,  since  he  alone  can  make  them 
happy;  that  lie  icill  confirm  their  union  with  the  bond 
of  holy  love  and  affection,  and  that  he  will  fulfil  or 
complete  the  bhssing  by  a  virtuous  offspring,  who  may 
inherit  the  virtues  of  the  ancient  patriarchs,  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  the  promises  made  to  them. 
The  solemn  ceremony  of  Christian  marriage  is  con- 
cluded by  a  serious  exhortation,  which  the  priest  ad- 
dresses to  the  married  couple,  admonishing  them  of  the 
fidelity  which  they  owe  to  each  other,  and  exhorting 
them  to  live  together  in  the  fear  of  God,  in  holy  con- 
jugal love  and  affection,  and  faithfully  to  discharge 
their  respective  duties  and  mutual  obligations.     Now, 


176  EIGHTEENTH   HOMILT  ON 

these  duties  are  of  two  kinds,  both  of  them  of  the 
greatest  ioiportance.  As  1  have  elsewhere  spoken  of 
one  brancli  of  these  duties,  of  married  persons  which 
regards  their  children,  (see  second  Homily,)  I  shall 
now  enter  into  a  detail  of  the  otiier  branch  of  the  duties 
of  married  persons,  those  which  they  owe  reciprocally 
to  each  other.  These  are  so  clearly  marked  down  in 
holy  Scripture,  that  littlr  else  is  necessary  but  to  quote 
the  very  words  of  the  insi)ired  writers.  First,  St. 
Paul,  in  his  episth,>  to  the  Colossians,  iii.  18,  says, 
"Wives,  be  suhject  to  your  husbands,  as  it  behoveth 
in  the  Lord." — Kph.  v.  2^.  "Let  wives  be  subject  to 
their  husbands,  as  to  the  Lord:  because  the  husband  is 
the  head  of  the  wile,  as  Jesus  Christ  is  the  head  of  the 
Church,  which  is  his  body,  and  of  which  also  he  is 
the  Saviour." — "Let  wives,"  says  St.  Peter,  1  Ep. 
iii.  1,  &c.  "be  subject  to  their  husbands,  that  if  any 
believe  not  the  word,  they  may  be  won  (or  gained 
over)  without  the  word,  by  the  conversation  of  their 
wives,  when  they  consider  the  purity  of  their  lives  and 
respectful  conversation."  He  then  proposes  the  ex- 
amples of  the  holy  women  of  old,  who  lived  in  sub- 
jection to  their  husbands,  and  especially  that  of  Sarah, 
who  obeyed  Abraham,  calling  him  Lord:  "whose 
daughters,"  says  the  Apostle,  "you  also  are,  if  you  do 
that  which  is  good."  In  the  book  of  Tobias,  Raguel 
and  his  wife  exhort  their  daughter  to  honour  her  father 
and  mother-in-law,  to  regulate  well  her  household,  to 
govern  well  her  family,  and  to  preserve  herself  blame- 
less in  all  things.  Tob.  x.  13.  In  several  passages, 
the  great  apostles,  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul,  admonish 
Christian  wives  to  love  and  be  faithful  to  their  hus- 
bands, to  watch  over  their  family  at  home,  to  take  due 
care  of  their  household,  to  be  chaste,  sober,  modest, 
in  their  dress,  and  humble  in  their  behaviour,  pro- 
posing to  them  as  the  great  end  which  they  are  to 
have  in  fulfilling  these  duties,  the  glory  of  God,  the 
walking  hand  in  hand  with  their  husbands  in  the  prac- 


THE  BOOK  OF   TOBIAS.  177 

lice  of  Christian  virtues;  or,  if  their  husbands  are  un- 
happily not  in  the  pale  of  the  true  Churdi,  the  gaining 
of  them  to  Christ  by  a  holy  life  and  atfeclionate  con- 
duct.    See  Titus  ii.  1  Tim.  ii.  1  Peter  iii.  S. 

Secondly,  addressing  himself  to  hushands,  St.  Paul 
says,  Col.  lii.  19.  "Husbands,  love  your  wives,  and 
be  not  bitter  towards  them." — Eph.  v.  25.  "And  you, 
husbands,  love  your  wives,  as  Jesus  Christ  has  loved 
the  Church,  delivering  himself  up  (or  it.  So  ought 
husbands  to  love  their  wives  as  their  own  bodies." — 
St.  Peter  says,  "\ou,  husbands,  likewise  dwell  with 
your  wives,  according  to  knowledge,  giving  honour  to 
the  woman  as  to  the  weaker  vessel,  and  as  your  joint- 
heirs  of  the  grace  of  life,  that  your  prayers  may  not 
be  hindered." — In  a  variety  of  other  passages  of  holy 
writ,  husbands  are  exhorted  to  rule  tlicir  lami!ie>4  »'V»!b 
mildness,  to  behave  with  all  affection  and  tenderness 
towards  their  wives,  and  to  avoid  all  harshness,  and 
much  more  all  savage  fierceness  and  brutal  violence 
of  conduct  towards  them.  God  declares,  by  the 
prophet  Malachy,  ii.  13.  that  he  will  not  hear  the  pray- 
ers of  husbands  who  are  guilty  of  ill-treatment  to- 
wards their  wives.  Yet,  how  often  do  we  witness 
such  brutal  conduct  in  husbands;  and  how  great  a  pro- 
portion of  the  miseries  of  married  persons  owe  their 
origin  to  a  want  of  this  mild  ar.d  affectionate  behaviour! 
More  especially,  when  to  this  defect  are  joined  the 
mispending  of  their  time  in  drinking,  gaming,  &c.  and 
the  squandering  away  of  the  support  of  their  families! 
This  is  a  crime  so  heinous  in  the  sight  of  God,  that 
St.  Paul  declares,  "If  any  man  has  not  care  of  his 
own  family,  he  has  denied  his  faith,  and  is  worse  than 
an  infidel."     1  Tim.  v.  8. 

Thirdly,  married  persons,  both  husband  and  wife, 
are  strictly  charged  by  the  apostle  St.  Paul,  to  render 
faithfully  to  each  other  the  marriage  debt.  For  either 
party  to  refuse  this,  without  mutual  consent,  is  a  ciime, 
a  heinous  violation  of  duty,  and  oftentimes  the  source 


lib  EIGHTEENTH   HOMILY  ON 

of  the  most  shocking  excesses.  I  Cor.  vii.  3.  The 
angel  Raphael  instructed  the  holy  Tobias  to  discharge 
this,  and  the  like  duties  of  marriage,  in  the  fear  of  the 
Lord,  and  with  purity  of  intention,  that  he  might  not 
be  of  the  number  of  those  who,  following  no  other 
rule  hut  their  passions,  and  consequently  having  banish- 
ed God  from  their  heart,  are  delivei'ed  over  to  the 
devil  lor  eternal  destruction. 

Such,  my  beloved  brethr-n,  is  an  outline,  taken  from 
holy  Scripture,  of  the  duties  which  married  persons 
owe  to  each  other.  There  is  no  class  of  duties  of 
greater  importance  to  mankind;  and,  unfortunately, 
none  with  whicit  the  generality  of  men  arc  less  ac- 
quainted. To  tliis  fatal  ignorance,  and  the  neglect 
which  follows  from  it,  are  owing  those  scenes  of 
misery  which  so  often  disgrace  tlic  ti-ai  litd  wtaio,  pcr- 
v  rt  it  fiom  its  primitive  institution,  and  lender  it  a 
ki.id  of  h' !1  upon  earth.  Blinded  by  passion,  or  under 
the  guidance  of  motives  that  would  have  siiocked  a 
moral  hea'li'^ir,  ;o  >  often,  at  least,  without  one  thought 
ot  God  or  their  own  eternal  welfare,  many,  who  call 
themselves  Christians,  rush  into  matrimony,  neither 
a  are  Of  its  sanctity  nor  acquainted  with  its  obliira- 
tions;  perhaps  too,  in  defiance  of  the  laws  of  the 
Clmrch.  Hence  those  scenes  of  domestic  stiife  and 
conteiitioii;  hmce  too,  oftentimes  those  dreadful  pro- 
fanations of  the  sacran>ents,  which  call  down  the 
curse  of  In  aven  even  in  this  life! 

That  you,  my  beloved  brethren,  may  have  no  share 
in  this  unliappiiiess,  I  have  unfolded  to  you  these  im- 
portant points,  the  knowledge  of  which  is  of  so  much 
consequence  to  you;  viz.  the  sanctity  of  marriage  in 
its  primitive  insiitution,  and  much  more  in  its  sacra- 
mental dignity;  tl.e  ])ure  intention,  and  the  holy  dis- 
positions with  winch  you  should  enter  into  (he  married 
«tale;  the  maimer  of  preparing  for  it;  the  solemn  ad- 
ministration of  matrimony,  and  the  sacred  obligations 
and  duties  wiiich  it  imposes  upon  you.    Let  these  im- 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  179 

portant  instructions  sink  deep  into  your  mind,  and 
regulate  your  conduct  by  them.  Tal<e  the  young 
Tobias  for  your  model;  and  with  the  same  docility 
with  which  he  received  and  fulfilled  the  advice  of  his 
guide,  treasure  up  in  your  souls  and  follow  the  lessons 
which  I  have  given  you.  If  already  engaged  in  the 
married  state,  and  you  are  sensible  that  your  conduct 
in  first  embracing  it,  or  since  you  have  lived  in  it,  has 
not  been  conformable  to  the  line  which  I  have  here 
marked  out  to  you,  labour  to  repair  past  misconduct 
by  true  repentance.  If  you  are  looking  forward  to 
the  married  state,  let  these  instructions  guide  you,  and, 
like  Tobias,  you  will  reap  the  fruits  of  them  in  abun- 
dance of  blessings,  both  temporal  and  eternal.  Your 
marriage,  being  truly  Christian,  will  be  a  holy  union, 
pleasing  before  God,  fruitful  in  peace,  comfort,  and 
happiness  during  the  short  course  of  your  mortal  pil- 
grimage, and  conducting  you  to  an  everlasting  union 
in  the  mansions  of  eternal  bliss. 

Before  I  conclude  these  important  instructions  on 
matrimony,  I  will  add  a  few  words  on  the  manner  of 
keeping  a  Christian  wedding,  or  the  feast  which  usual- 
ly follows  a  marriage.  A  feast  on  such  occasions,  to 
which  the  relations  and  friends  of  the  parties  are  in- 
vited, is  by  no  means  improper,  being  sanctioned  by 
the  example  of  Jesus  Christ  himself,  who  attended  by 
invitation  at  the  marriage-feast  at  Cana.  But  let  Chris- 
tians remember  likewise,  to  invite  Jesus  Christ  to  their 
wedding-feast,  and  not  give  their  sanction  to  any  com- 
pany, behaviour,  conversation,  or  diversion,  that  would 
profane  the  presence  or  forfeit  the  blessing  of  this 
heavenly  guest.  Let  no  drunkenness,  debauchery, 
filthy  songs,  or  loose  discourse,  rob  them  of  the  fruit 
of  those  divine  blessings  which  their  approaching  to 
the  sacraments  on  this  solemn  occasion  was  destined 
to  produce  in  their  souls.  Let  them  rejoice,  but  re- 
joice in  the  Lord;  entertaining  themselves  in  the  com- 
pany of  the  pious,  observing  sobriety  in  their  feasting, 


180  EIGHTEENTH  HOMILY  ON 

modesty  in  their  conversation,  watchfulness  over  their 
whole  conduct;  concluding-  the  day  with  fervent  united 
prayer,  to  implore  the  blessing  of  heaven  upon  the 
consummation  of  their  marriage.  In  these  respects,  1 
again  propose  the  marriage  of  Tobias  for  your  model. 
When  Tobias  and  Sarah  were  married,  the  holy 
Scripture  says, 

Ver.  16.     And  taKing  paper,  they  made  a  writing  of  their  mar- 
riage  17.  And   afterwards  they  made  merry,  blessing  God. 

Admire  the  conduct  of  these  holy  persons.  Full  of 
simplicity,  and  guided  by  a  spirit  of  religion,  they 
wait  until  after  their  marriage,  without  any  mistrust 
or  suspicion  on  eitlier  side,  for  the  drawing  up  of  the 
marriage  aiticles.  Having  thus  settled  what  prudence 
required  as  a  provision  and  security  for  temporal  con- 
cerns, they  sit  down  to  a  feast,  not  with  a  view  to  the 
indulgence  of  appetite,  or  from  any  sensual  motive, 
but  chiefly  to  bless  God,  to  express  their  joy  and 
thanksgiving  for  his  having,  in  so  truly  wonderful  a 
manner,  directed  his  servants  by  the  finger  of  his 
Providence,  and  brought  about  this  holy  marriage 
union;  an  union  entered  upon  with  the  purest  intention, 
in  conformity  to  his  divine  will  and  holy  law,  and  con- 
sequently sealed  and  confirmed  with  a  promise  of  his 
blessings  for  time  and  eternity. 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  181 


Chap.  VII.  ver.  18.     And   Ragiie]  called    lo   him    Anna  liis  wife, 

and  bid   her  prepare  another  cliamlicr 19.  And  she  broufe,ht 

Sarah   her  daii.;hter  in  tliiiher,  and  siie   wept... ...20.    And  she 

said  to  her:  Be  of  good  cheer,  m>  daui^hter,  t!:e  Lord  of  lieaveu 
give  thee  joy  for  the  trouble  ttiou  hast  undergone. 

The  two  preceding  instruct  ions  on  tlie  important 
subject  of  marriage  have  enabled  me  to  lay  before 
your  view,  my  b(  loved  brethien,  the  dis])Ositions  and 
intentions  with  which  a  Christian  should  enter  into 
marriage,  the  graces  and  blessings  annexed  to  the 
worthy  receiving  of  matrimony,  and  the  duties  and 
obligations  attached  to  that  htly  state.  I  then  pro- 
posed to  you  to  take  the  conduct  of  the  holy  Tobias 
for  your  model  on  these  impoi'tant  points.  VVhat  fol- 
lows in  the  Scripture  account  of  the  marriage  of  this 
holy  young  man,  is  no  less  worthy  of  your  attention, 
and  furnishes  no  less  admirable  lessons  of  instruction. 

According  to  the  custom  of  the  Hebrew  nation,  a 
custom  much  to  be  commended  for  its  strict  conformity 
to  decency  and  purity,  Sarah  was  conducted  to  the 
nuptial  bed  by  her  parents,  some  time  before  her  hus- 
band. On  entering  the  chamber  prepared  for  her,  she 
wept;  her  tears,  without  doubt,  flowing  from  the  re- 
membrance of  her  past  afflictions,  and  the  unhappy  fate 
that  had  befallen  her  former  husbands.  Her  mother, 
seeing  her  distress,  consoled  her  with  the  hope  that 
divine  Providence  would  on  this  occasion  recompense 
her  past  sorrow  and  trouble  with  abundance  of  joy. 

Chap.  VIII.  ver.  1.     And  after  they  had  supped,  they  brought  in 

the   young   man    to  her 2.  And   Tobias,  remembering   the 

Angel's  word,  took  out  of  his  bag  part  of  the  liver,  and  laid  it 

upon  burning  coals 3.   Then   the  angel  Raphael    took    the 

devil,  and  bound  him  in  the  desert  of  Upper  Egypt. 

When  supper  was  over,  Tobias  was  conducted  to 
the  chamber  of  the  bride  by  .her  parents,  and  left 
16 


18!^  KIMETEENTH  HOHILY  ON 

alone  with  her.  His  first  care  was  lo  fulfil  immediately 
the  advice  of  the  angel  Raphael  in  every  particular. 
The  Angel  had  directed  him  as  soon  as  he  should  enter 
the  nuptial  chamber  to  lay  the  heart  and  liver  of  the 
fish  upon  burning  coals,  assuring  him  that  God  would, 
by  these  simple  means,  prevent  the  malice  of  the  devil, 
and  preserve  his  servant.     Tobias  did  as  the  Angel 
had  advised  him;  and  God,  who  is  ever  faithful  to  his 
promise,  by  his  An^el  chased  away  the  evil  spirit  that 
had  been  the  instrument  of  his  vengeance  against  the 
former  wicked  husbands  of  Sarah,  and  permitted  not 
the  devil  to  exercise  the  power  before  allowed  him, 
except  at  a  great  distance  from  the  spot  where  Tobias 
and  Sarah  were.     Happy  obedience,  which  proved  to 
this  holy  man  the  source;  of  so  many  and  such  dis- 
tinguished blessings  from  heaven! — Tobias  knew  not 
that  his  guide  was  actually  an  Angel,  deputed  to  guide 
him;  but  feeling  persuaded  that  Providence  had  pro- 
vided him  with  this  faithful  conductor,  he  was  resolved 
to  obey  all  his  injunctions,  being  assured  that  his  obedi- 
ence would  secure  the  blessing  of  heaven.     Such  are 
the  sentiments  which  animate  the  true  servants  of  God. 
Tiieir  spirit  is  a  spirit  of  <locility  and  obedience;  but 
how  rarely  are  this  spirit  and  these  sentiments  to  be 
met  with  among  Christians!     How  few,  like  Tobias, 
are  scrupulously  exact  and  diligent  in  practising  the 
advice  given  them  for  their  spiritual  improvement  by 
the  pastor  whom  God  has  appointed  to  guide  their 
souls!     God  has  given  the   assurance   of  his  sacred 
word,  that  the  pastors  of  his  Church  are  those  whom 
he   lu:vself   has  commissioned    to  guide  us,  that   he 
speaks  by  their  mouth,  and  that  he  considers  the  obe- 
dience or  disobedience  shewn  to  them,  as  shewn  to 
himself.     Yet,  what  is  the  conduct  of  the  generality 
of  Christians?     I  speak  not  here  of  the  little  attention 
which  is  paid  by  the  tlock  to  the  public  instructions  of 
their  pastor  in  sermons  or  at  catechism;  but,  if  we 
may  judge  from  the  lives  of  the  greater  part  of  those 


THE  BOOK  OP  TOBIAS.  183 

who  at  stated  times  frequent  tlie  sacraments,  of  the 
little  attention  wliich  Christians  pay  to  the  advice 
which  they  receive  from  tlieir  pastor  in  the  sacred  tri- 
bunal of  penance,  and  the  little  care  which  tliey  take 
to  put  in  practice  the  lessons  there  given  for  the  regu- 
lation and  improvement  of  tlieir  lives.  In  the  sacred 
tribunal  of  confession,  God  has  appointed  for  every 
one  an  Angel,  that  is,  a  minister,  by  whose  mouth  he 
delivers  those  salutary  truths  which  are  destined,  if 
fathfully  followed,  to  root  out  their  |)ast  spiritual  dis- 
orders, to  infuse  into  their  minds  a  light  that  will  guide 
their  future  steps  in  the  way  of  virtue,  and  preserve 
them  from  the  snares  laid  for  them  by  the  malice  of 
the  devil.  But  the  greater  part  of  Christians,  con- 
tenting tiiemselves  with  the  bare  confession  of  their 
sins,  and  the  performance  of  their  sacramental  penance, 
think  no  more  of  the  advice  given  them  in  the  confes- 
sional for  the  regulation  and  amendment  of  their  lives, 
but  return  with  thoughtless  unconcern  to  their  usual 
course  of  dissipation  and  intercourse  with  the  world. 
Hence  they  carry  with  them  the  same  transgressions 
again  and  again  to  confession,  and  too  of:^en  from  con- 
fession to  the  grave;  their  disorders  increase  and 
strenghten.  and  their  disobedience  to  the  advice  of  the 
guide  appointed  by  heaven  to  conduct  them,  shuts  the 
door  to  the  divine  blessing,  and  robs  them  of  the  fruit 
which  they  would  otherwise  reap  to  their  souls  from 
the  sacred  institutions  of  God's  mercy,  the  sacraments 
of  his  Church.  I  exhort  you,  therefore,  my  beloved 
brethren,  to  imitate  tlie  conduct  of  the  good  Tobias, 
in  making  it  an  invariable  rule  of  your  behaviour, 
when  you  receive  the  advice  of  your  spiritual  guide, 
to  lay  it  up  carefully  in  your  minds,  and  with  faithful 
docility  practise  it  in  all  its  branches. 

The  more  important  part  of  the  Angel's  directions 
to  Tobias  still  remained  to  be  fulfilled;  and  notwith- 
standing the  suggestions  of  flesh  and  blood,  the  holy 
young  man  diligently  complied  with  it. 


184  NINETEENTH  HOMILY  ON 

Ver.  4.  Then  Tobias  exhorted  (he  virgin,  and  said  to  her:  Sarah 
arise,  ai^d  let  us  pray  to  God  to-day,  and  lo-morrow,  and  the 
next  day:  because  for  these  three  nights  we  aic  joined  to  God; 
and  when  the  Itiird  nijrht  is  over  we  will  be  in  our  own  wed- 
lock  5.  For  we  ore  the  children  of  Saints,  and  we  must  not 

be  joined  togetlier  like  heathens  who  know  not  God. 

How  solid  is  the  piety  of  this  young  man!  how  holy 
are  his  sentiments!  All  liis  thoughts  arc  employed  on 
the  securing  of  tlie  divine  blessing  upon  his  niairiage. 
At  his  entrance,  therei'bre,  into  the  nuptial  chamber, 
he  employs  the  means  recommended  by  the  Angel  for 
chasing  away  the  devil;  he  banishes  every  unbecoming 
thought  from  his  own  mind,  and  calls  upon  his  spouse 
to  unite  with  blip  in  fervent  prayer  for  the  divine  favour 
and  protection.  It  is  not  time,  says  he,  as  yet,  to  con- 
summate our  marriage;  we  have  a  more  important  task 
to  accomplish — the  chaste  and  holy  union  of  our  hearts 
with  God.  To  promote  this  holy  object,  let  us  put  up 
our  united  ardent  su[)plieaiions  to  the  throne  of  grace 
during  the  three  first  nights;  for  we  are  children  of 
those  holy  patriarchs,  who,  by  the  like  pious  means, 
sanctified  themselves  in  the  married  slate.  V^  e  iiave 
the  happiness  to  know  and  to  serve  the  same  God  as 
they  did:  let  us  tlien,  with  a  fidelity  like  theirs,  give 
ourselves  to  him  w  ith  all  our  liearts;  let  us  rise  supe- 
rior to  the  suggestions  of  sense  and  passion;  and  let  us 
manifest  to  the  tvorld  the  difterence  between  the  true 
children  of  Abraham,  and  the  heathens  who  know  not 
God.  Such  were  the  admirable  sentiments  of  this 
young  Israelite;  sentiments  which  will  cover  with  eter- 
nal shame  and  confusion  those  nominal  Christians, 
whose  marriage  differs  in  nothing  from  thai  of  pagans, 
except  in  the  mere  out  ward  ceremonies  ct  religion 
which  aecornpan}'  it,  but  which  engage  their  attention 
only  for  a  moment,  and  are  presently  forgotten;  and 
their  passions  are  suffered  to  lead  them  into  those 
criminal  excesses  which  disgrace  the  marTiages  of 
heathens,  and  aie  the  objects  of  God's  abhorrence. 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  1 85 

Sarah  obeyed  the  call  of  her  husband,  and  united 
with  him  in  prayer: 

Ver.  6.     They  both    arose    (says    the    sacred   text)    and   prayed 
earnestly  both  together,  that  health  might  be  given  them. 

The  holy  Scripture  has  recoided  their  prayer  as  a 
modtl  foi'  the  direction  of  married  persons  in  the  views 
which  they  ought  to  bring  with  them  to  their  holy 
union,  and  the  sentiments  which  should  animate  their 
hearts  on  that  solemn  occasion. 

Ver.  7.     And  Tobias    said:  Lord    God  of  our   fathers,   May  the 
heavens,  and  the  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  the  fountains,  and  the 

rivers,  and  all  thy  creatures  that  are  in  them,  bless  thee: 8. 

Thou  madest  Adam  of  the  slime  of  the  earth,  and  gavest  him 

Eve  for  a  helper 9.  And  now,  O  Lord,  thou  knowest,  that 

not  forfleslily  lust  do  I  lake  my  sister  (relation)  to  wife,  but 
only  for  the  love  of  posterity,  in  which  thy  name  may  be  bles- 
sed for  ever  and  ever 10.  Sarah  also  said:  Have  mercy  on 

us,  O  Lord,  have  mercy  on  us,  and  let  us  grow  old  both  together 
in  health. 

Our  blessed  Redeemer  assures   us,  that  from  the 
abundance   of  the  heart  the    mouth  speaketh.     This 
excellent  prayer  of  Tobias  unfolds  to  us  the  heart  of 
this  holy  young  man.    Impressed  with  a  constant  sense 
of  the  divine  presence;  full  of  the  most  sublime  ideas 
of  the  divine  power,  goodness,  and  mercy;  sensible  that 
all  the  works  of  the  Almighty  are  designed  to  promote 
his  own  glory  and  the  happiness  of  his  creatures;  To- 
bias invites  the  whole  creation  to  unite  with  him  in 
praising  God  for  his  past  mercies:  then,  having  always 
the  glory  of  God  in  view  as  the  end  of  all  his  actions, 
he  declares  the  purity  of  intention  with  which  he  had 
entered  the  married  state;  not  impelled  by  any  crimi- 
nal passion,  but  that  he  might  be  the  father  of  a  virtu- 
ous family,  faithful  servants  of  the  true  God;  and  he 
looks  with  confidence  for  the  blessing  of  God,  in  re- 
ward for  his  piety  and  purity  of  heart.     His  wife  unites 
in  fervent  supplication  for  the  blessing  of  health;  not; 
16* 


186 


NINETEENTH  HOMILY  ON 


merely  the  health  of  the  body,  but  the  much  more  im- 
portant health  of  the  soul,  that  they  may  persevere  in 
innocence  and  virtue  to  a  good  old  age,  blessed  with 
a  vutuous  race  of  children,  faithfully  trained  in  the 
service  of  their  Creator.  Their  prayer  was  heard, 
as  the  sequel  of  their  history  informs  us.  How  many 
truly  pious  and  happy  marriages  should  we  see  among 
Christians,  if  they  entered  the  manied  state  under  the 
guidance  of  the  same  spirit  which  animated  this  holy 
couple,  and  followed  its  directions  in  their  lives;  if 
husband  and  wife  considered  themselves  as  instruments 
of  divine  Providence  in  propagating  a  succession  of 
faithful  servants  of  God,,  and  followers  of  Jesus 
Christ;  and  with  this  view  would  labour  earnestly  to 
fulfil  their  important  obligations  as  parents,  by  giving 
their  children  a  truly  virtuous  educaiiou! 

'Ver.  11.     And  it  came  to  pass  abiiit   the  cock-crowing,  Raguel 
ordered  his  servants  to  be  called  I'or,  and  liiey  went  with  him 

together  to  dig  a  grave 12.     For  he  said    Lest  perhaps  it 

may  have  happened  to  him  in  iil^e  manner  ■  s  it  did  to  liie  other 
seven  husbands  that  we:;t  in  unto  her..  .  .13.  And  when  they 
had  prepared  the  pit,  Rai;;ucl  went  back  to  his  wife,  and  said  to 

her: 14.  Send  one  of  thy  maids,  and   let  her  see  if  he  bo 

dead,  that  I  may  bury  him  before  it  be  day. 

How  striking  a  proof  is  this  of  the  weakness  of 
human  nature!  Raguel  but  a  short  time  before  had  ex- 
pressed his  contidence  that  God  had  beared  his  pray- 
ers, and  seemed  overjoyed  at  the  prospect  of  his 
having  so  virtuous  a  son-in-law.  Now,  his  confidence 
is  all  vanished,  and  he  is  entirely  overcome  by  his 
fears.  Full  of  the  melancholy  thoughts  suggested  by 
reflecting  upon  the  fate  of  the  former  hu.sbands  of  his 
daughter,  he  passes  the  night  without  rest  and  without 
sleep.  Apprehensive  that  Tobias  has  met  with  the 
same  dreadful  misfortune  as  had  befallen  Sarah's  for- 
mer husbands,  he  takes  the  necessary  precautions, 
rises  from  his  bed  before  the  night  is  over,  and  calls 
his  servants  to  assist  him  in  preparing  a  grave.  So 
fickle,  so  inconstant  is  the  mind  of  man,  so  weak  are 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  187 

even  the  very  best  of  us  when  left  to  the  motions  of 
our  own  heart.  Uur  good  resolutions  are  soon  for- 
gotten; the  slightest  biealh  of  temptation  shakes  Ihern. 
C)ne  moment  we  are  all  couraire  and  confidence;  the 
next,  mistrust  and  terror.  Like  the  chief  of  the 
Apostles,  we  at  one  time  rely  so  much  upon  the 
strength  of  our  present  disj)ositions,  that  we  imagine 
nothing  can  alicr  them;  we  feel  confident  that  we  can 
stand  anj-  assault,  even  of  death  its(;lf,  rather  than  part 
with  our  virtue:  and  presently,  a  mere  passing  thought, 
a  slight  word  from  a  fellow-creature,  or  a  threat  of 
some  temporal  calamity,  overturns  all  our  fancied 
strength,  and  manifests  us,  as  we  really  are,  made  up 
of  frailty,  corruption,  and  misery.  Our  only  security 
and  protection  against  this  fatal  weakness  of  our  nature, 
is  that  true  and  solid  humility  which  teaches  us  to  know 
ourselves  as  we  are,  to  confess  our  own  nothingness 
and  inability  to  do  good  of  ourselves,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  place  all  our  confideiice  in  God,  and  to  seek 
for  help  and  strength  fiom  Him  who  accepts  the  pray- 
er of  the  humble,  and  never  despises  their  petition. 

Raguel,  in  the  moment  of  his  weakness  and  diffi- 
dence, gives  up  all  his  Ibrmer  sources  of  hope  and 
consolation,  considers  the  death  of  Tobias  as  certain, 
prepares  his  grave,  and  desires  his  wife  to  send  one 
of  her  maidservants  to  the  nuptial  chamber  to  see  if 
he  be  not  already  dead. 

Ver.  15.  So  she  sent  one^of  her  maid-servants,  wlio  went  into  the 
chamber,  and  found  them  safe  and  sound,  sleeping  botli  togeth- 
er  16.  And  returning,  she  brought  the  good  news,  and  Ra- 
guel and  Anna  his  wife  blessed  the  Lord, 17.   And  said:  We 

bless  thee,  O  Lord  God  of  Israel,  because  it  hath  not  happened 

as  we  suspected 13.  For  thou  liasl  shewn  thy  mercy  to  us,  and 

hast  shutout  from  us  the  eiiemv  that  persecuted  us 19.  And 

thou  hast  taken  pity  upon  two  only  children.  Make  them,  O 
Lord,  bless  thee  more  fully;  and  to  oBer  up  to  thee  a  sacrifiea 
ot  thy  praise,  and  of  their  health,  that  all  nations  may  know 
that  thou  alone  art  God  in  all  the  earth. 

The  Royal  Prophet  assures  us  that  the  Angels  of 
the  Lord  encamp  round  about  those  who  fear  him. 


188  MNETELKTH  HOMILY  ON 

Tobias  and  Saiah  having  engaged  in  marriage  in  the 
fear  of"  the  Loid,  and  reconiniended  ihemselves  to  his 
holy  protection  by  fci  vent  prayer,  retired  to  rest  with 
a  firm  confidence  in  tliat  divine  Providence  which 
watches  over  (lie  slumbers  of  its  servants.  The  maid 
whom  Anna  had  sent  to  their  chamber,  fiDund  them  in 
a  quiet  and  proibund  repose.  The  joyful  news  of 
their  safety  awakens  in  Raguel  all  liis  former  senti- 
ments of  tlie  divine  goodness;  ashamed  of  his  momen- 
tary mistrust  in  Providence,  he  loses  not  an  instant  to 
repair  his  fault,  but  bieaks  fort!)  in  praise  and  thanks- 
giving to  his  Creator.  His  wife  unites  with  him  in 
tills  holy  duty  of  giatitude  and  prayer.  Not  content 
with  their  own  etlusions  of  thanksgiving,  springing 
from  a  heart  truly  grateful  for  the  divine  blessing,  they 
beg  of  God  to  fill  the  breasts  of  their  Children  with 
a  grateful  sense  of  his  mercies,  and  to  excite  in  them 
a  gratitude  proportioned  to  the  wonderful  favours 
which  he  had  shewn  them.  They  pray  that  the  Al- 
mighty may  be  glorified  in  the  virtuous  lives  of  their 
children,  and  that  by  tlieir  holy  example  the  nations 
of  the  earth  may  be  brought  to  know  and  to  adore  the 
true  God.  This  prayer  of  Raguel  and  Anna  inculcates 
two  very  important  lessons  of  instruction,  the  one  to 
Christians  in  general,  the  other  to  parents  in  particular. 
Christians  may  learn  to  receive  the  blessings  of  hea- 
ven with  gratitude,  and,  as  no  day  passes  in  which  each 
of  us  does  not  experience  the  bounty  of  God,  not  a 
day  should  be  suffered  to  pass  without  bringing  its 
morning  and  evening  tribute  of  thanksgiving  to  the 
Deity.  More  especially  in  the  moments  in  which  we 
experience  any  particular  favour  from  God,  we  should 
immediately  raise  our  hearts  and  thoughts  to  him,  and 
offer  him  a  short,  but  fervent  return  of  thanks.  Se- 
condly, the  example  of  Raguel  and  Anna  teaches 
Christian  parents  that  it  is  one  of  their  most  important 
obligations  to  present  their  fervent  supplications  to 
God  in  behalf  of  their  children,  and  make  it  their  great 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  189 

concern  not  to  provide  cartlily  riches  for  tliem,  but  to 
render  them  rich  iii  virtue  and  goodness,  by  holy  in- 
struction, good  example,  and  fervent  prayer  for  them. 
Raguel  having  thus  given  the  first  emotions  of  his 
heart,  on  the  news  of  Tobias's  safety,  to  the  holy  of- 
fice of  prayer  and  thanksgiving,  expressed  outwardly 
the  joy  which  he  felt,  in  a  feast  to  which  he  invited 
his  friends. 

Fer.  20.  And  immediately,  (says  the  sacred  text)  Raguel  com- 
manded his  servants  lo  fill  up  the  pit  they  hnd  made,  before  it 

was  day 21.   And  he  spoke  to  his  wife  to  make    ready  a 

feast,  and  prepare  all  kinds  of  provisions  that  are  necessary 

for  such  as  go  a  journey 22.   He  caused  also  two  fat  kine 

and  four  welhers  to  be  killed  and  a  banquet  to  be  prepared  for 
all  his  neii^hbours  and  all  his  friends 23.  And  Raguel  ad- 
jured Tobias  to  abide  with   him  two  weeks 24.   And  of  all 

things  whicli  Raguel  possessed,  he  gave  one  h:iif  to  Tobias,  and 
made  a  writing,  that  the  half  that  remained  should  after  their 
decease,  come  also  to  Tobias. 

My  Christian  brethren,  when  the  feasts  of  the 
Church  of  God  call  upon  you  to  express  your  joy  at 
the  triumphs  of  your  Hedeeiner  and  his  Saints,  and 
your  gratitude  for  the  blessings  of  heaven,  let  tlieout- 
ward  miilh  which  you  testify  ia  tne  eiitertainiiient  of 
your  friends,  be,  as  it  oiiglit  to  be,  a  sincere  token  of 
tbe  inward  rejoicing  and  thank-giving  of  your  hearts. 
"Rejoice,"'  as  the  Apostle  says,  ^'iiithe  Lord;"  making 
it  your  principal  care  on  these  holy  festivals,  by  hum- 
ble confession,  devout  commimion  and  fervent  prayer, 
to  sanctify  your  souls,  and  merit  a  continuance  of  the 
divine  mercy. 


190  TWENTIETH  HOMILY  ON 


TWE2TTZETH  HOMIZiY 

Chap.  IX.  ver.  1.  Then  Tobins  called  llie  Angel  to  him,  whom  ha 
took  to  be  a  man,  anri  said  lo  him:  Brother  Azarias,  1  pray 

thee  hearken  to  my  words 2.   If  1  should  give  myself  to  be 

thy  servant,  I  should  nut  m:)l<ea  worthy  return  for  thy  care 

3.  However,  I  beseech  thee  tu  lak".  with  thee  beasts  and  ser- 
vants, and  go  to  Gabelus  to  [la:5es,  the  city  of  the  Medes:  and 
to  return  him  liis  note  of  hand,  and  receive  of  him  the  money, 

and  desire  him  to  come  to  my  vvedding 4.  For,  thou  knove- 

est  thai  my  faiher  numbeieth  the  days:  ami  If  1  slay  one  day 

more,  his  soul  will  be  alHicted 5.   Ami  indeed  thou  seest  how 

Raguel  iiath  adjured  me,  wliose  adjuring  I  cannot  despise. 

The  young  Tobias  had  left  home  in  obedience  to 
the  advice  of  his  aged  father,  in  order  to  recover  a 
6um  of  money  \vhic:h  his  father  had  lent  to  his  kins- 
man Gabelus.  This,  titerefore,  was  the  principal  ob- 
ject of  his  journey,  and  it  appears  to  have  been  the 
principal  sulyect  of  his  thoughts  and  concern,  to  ac- 
quit himself  with  fidelity  of  ihe  trust  reposed  in  him. 
Hitherto,  indeed,  he  had  been  occupied  wit!)  his  mar- 
riage, because  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  obey  in  this  respect 
the  directions  of  his  guide.  Though  not  as  yet  sensi- 
ble that  his  conductor  belonged  to  a  superior  order  of 
beings,  he  was  satisfied  thai  his  guide  was  sent  him 
by  an  all-ruling  Providence,  and  consequently  that  to 
obey  him  was  to  obey  the  voice  of  heaven.  But  hav- 
ing fulfilled  this  obligation  of  obedience  in  what  rela- 
ted to  his  marriage,  the  thoughts  of  his  aged  parents, 
aud  the  trust  they  had  given  him,  again  occupy  all  his 
care  and  attention.  Fearful  lest  he  himself  should 
meet  with  some  unexpected  difficulty  too  strong  to  be 
surmounted,  or  lest  he  should  not  succeed  to  his  fa- 
ther's wishes,  he  applies  for  assistance  lo  his  faithful 
guide  Azarias,  from  whom  he  had  already  received  so 
much  comfort,  such  excellent  advice  and  direction. 
Were  Christians  as  diligent  under  their  spiritual  diffi- 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  1 91 

culties,  in  having  recourse  for  counsel  to  the  guide  and 
dii-ector  of  their  souls,  like  Tobias's,  tlieir  humility 
and  obedience  would  secure  the  blessing  of  heaven, 
in  providing  them  with  tlie  helps  necessary  for  their 
advancement  in  the  path  of  virtue,  and  for  removing 
the  obstacles  thrown  in  their  way  by  the  malice  of  the 
devil. 

Next  to  the  obedience  which  the  young  Tobias 
shews  to  his  guide,  we  may  admire  his  gratitude,  a 
quality  which  forms  a  distinguishing  feature  in  his 
character.  In  addressing  Azarias,  lie  seems  to  want 
words  to  express  how  full  his  iieart  was  of  grateful 
feelings  for  the  kind  attention  of  his  guide,  and  says, 
that  if  he  were  even  to  become  the  servant  of  Azari- 
as, it  would  be  a  small  return  for  the  favours  which 
he  had  received.  Gratitude  is  so  amiable  a  quality  of 
the  heart,  that  wherever  it  is  found,  it  renders  its  pos- 
sessor an  object  of  esteem  and  veneration  to  all  who 
know  him;  while,  on  the  olher  hand,  ingratitude  fix- 
es an  indelible  mark  of  odium  and  disgrace  on  the 
wretch  whose  conduct  manifests  him  capable  of  so 
much  infamy,  I  speak  now  of  the  transactions  of 
mankind  with  one  another.  But,  if  we  raise  our 
thoughts  still  higher,  how  truly  amiable  and  pleasing 
is  gratitude  in  the  sight  of  the  Supreme  Being,  and 
how  amply  does  he  reward  it!  The  lives  of  the  Saints 
of  God  point  out  to  us,  on  the  one  hand,  some  of  our 
fellow-creatures,  sensible  of  the  goodness  of  their 
Creator,  offering  him  in  return  the  acceptable  tribute 
of  a  grateful  heart,  and  provmg  their  gratitude  by  a 
faithful  correspondence  with  the  favours  received;  on 
the  other  hand,  they  are  the  history  of  the  continued 
and  increasing  bounties  of  a  God,  pleased  with  the 
gratitude  of  his  creatures,  and  heaping  upon  them  in 
return  new  and  more  abundant  mercies.  But  what  a 
reproach  is  this  grateful  conduct  of  the  Saints  to  the 
greater  part  of  Christians!  Like  the  Saints,  we  pro- 
fess indeed  with  our  lips  that  we  are  indebted  to  the 


192  TWENTIETH    HOMILY  ON 

bount}'  of  our  lieaveiil}'  Father  for  the  daily  blessings 
we  receive;  but  how  little  do  our  lives  conespond  with 
tins  profession?  How  seklom  are  our  hearts  raised 
up  in  gratitude  to  the  Author  of  all  our  good!  How 
small  a  portion  of  our  lime  is  given  to  tlie  service  of 
Him,  to  whose  goodness  we  are  indebted  for  each  mo- 
ment of  our  existence?  But  a  few  years  ago,  my  be- 
loved brethren,  you  were  void  of  sense,  of  life,  or 
even  existence,  beneath  the  very  meanest  object  that 
serves  to  niaUe  up  the  admirable  variety  of  the  crea- 
tion. That  same  Almighty  Being  who  framed  the  uni- 
verse, who  is  himself  unchangeably  and  eternally  hap- 
py, whose  throne  surrounded  by  millions  that  partake 
of  hisglory,  and  incessantly  honour,  praise,  and  adore 
the  Author  of  their  bliss,  has  selected  you,  to  bless 
you  with  a  being  exalted  far  above  that  of  the  visible 
objects  that  surround  you,  and  stamped  with  his  own 
image,  the  pledge  of  its  happy  destiny  to  an  eternal 
union  with  its  Creator,  and  a  share  in  his  immense  and 
never-ending  happiness.  Did  this  Almighty  Being 
stand  in  need  of  you?  Would  his  glory  have  been 
diminished,  or  his  happiness  have  been  less,  had  he  not 
called  you  into  existence?  Ko. — It  was  love  for  you, 
which  directed  the  voice  that  called  you  into  being, 
which  guided  the  omnipotent  arm  that  framed  you,  and 
breathed  into  your  souls  that  breath  of  life  which  be- 
speaks them  destined  for  an  union  with  their  Creator 
in  eternal  bliss.  Oh!  infinite  goodness  of  God,  how 
little  do  men  think  of  the! — But,  my  beloved  breth- 
ren, this  blessing  of  your  creation  is  not  confined  to 
the  instant  in  which  you  were  first  called  into  exis- 
tence. It  extends  to  every  moment  of  your  lives;  it  is 
renewed  each  instant,  and  continued  in  the  preserva- 
tion of  your  being  by  the  same  almighty  power  that 
created  it;  a  preservation  which  is  justly  called  a  fresh, 
a  continual  creation. — Yet,  at  this  moment,  when  I  am 
pressing  these  truths  upon  your  minds  for  your  consid- 
eration, conscience  perhaps  flies  in  your  face,  and  re- 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  1  93 

proachesyou  with  a  strange  forgelfulness  of  your  Cre- 
ator, a  surprising  ingratitude  for  his  benefits.  Few  of 
us  but  may  cry  out  with  St.  Augustine  after  his  con- 
version, "Too  late  have  I  known  thee,  O  ancient 
truth!  too  late  have  I  loved  thee,  O  ancient  beauty!" 
Oh!  that  like  this  great  Saint,  the  model  of  true  peni- 
tents, you  may  repair  your  past  neglect  and  ingrati- 
tude by  spending  the  remainder  of  your  lives  with 
fidelity  in  the  service  of  your  Creator! 

Were  the  motives  which  call  for  your  gratitude  to 
your  bountiful  God,  confined  to  your  creation,  tlie  be- 
ing which  he  has  given  you,  and  tlie  end  for  which  it 
was  bestowed  upon  you,  a  life  faithfully  dedicated  to 
that  God  would  be  but  a  small  return  for  his  mercies. 
How  infinitely  then  does  the  obligation  of  your  grati- 
tude increase  upon  you,  when  you  turn  your  thoughts 
to  the  mystery  of  your  redemption.  He  who  created 
you,  beheld  you,  from  the  throne  of  his  glory,  victims 
of  his  just  indignation,  doomed  to  an  eternal  exclusion 
from  his  kingdom,  condemned  to  an  eternity  of  misery 
forlorn  and  without  hope.  Impelled  by  love  for  you, 
he  clothes  himself  with  the  weakness  of  your  flesh; 
submits  himself  to  poverty,  ignominy,  and  contempt; 
suffers  himself  to  be  treated  as  the  very  outcast  of 
mankind;  bears  in  his  sacred  body  the  torments  due  to 
your  sins;  expiates  your  crimes  by  the  effusion  of  his 
blood;  and  dies  in  an  agony  of  sufferings,  to  reconcile 
you  to  your  offended  Creator.  This  his  love  for  you 
is  the  astonishment  of  the  Spirits  that  surround  his 
throne  of  glory,  and  calls  forth  their  eternal  praise 
and  thanksgiving.  But  man,  for  whom  was  wrought 
this  mystery  of  love,  ungratefully  forgets  it.  The  suf- 
ferings of  his  Redeemer  seldom  form  the  subject  of 
his  thoughts;  the  greater  part  are  of  the  number  of 
those,  of  whose  ingratitude  the  Redeemer  complains 
by  the  prophet:  Pi^alm  cxli,  "I  looked  at  my  right- 
hand  and  beheld,  and  there  was  no  one  that  would  ac- 
knowledge me." 
*      17 


194  TWENTIETH  HOMILY  ON 

Not  content  with  giving  himself  once  a  victim  of 
propitiation  for  you  by  his  death  upon  the  cross,  he 
continues  daily  to  present  you  with  the  fruits  of  his 
redemption.  In  heaven  he  continually  makes  inter- 
cession for  you,  presenting  his  sacred  wounds  to  his 
eternal  Father  in  your  behalf  On  earth  he  has  estab- 
lished his  Church  as  a  light  to  guide  you  in  the  path 
that  leads  to  the  possession  of  his  glory,  and  has  en- 
riched her  with  those  treasures  of  giacethai  were  pur- 
chased at  the  price  of  his  blood,  and  are  appointed  by 
him  to  be  the  strength,  the  comfort,  and  support  of 
your  souls  during  their  mortal  pilgrimage.  Look 
around  you,  my  beloved  brethren,  and  view  the  thou- 
sands of  your  unhappy  fellow-creatures,  v\  ho,  brought 
up  in  infidelity,  ignorance  and  error,  are  strangers  to 
the  light  of  the  true  laith  which  God  has  made  to  shine 
upon  you,  and  to  the  blessings  uiiich  you  enjoy  in  the 
communion  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Cor.kl  1  persuade 
you,  after  thus  calling  your  attention  to  these  general 
blessings,  to  review  ycui-  past  lives,  and  bring  before 
your  eyes  the  unnumbered  blessings,  both  lor  time  and 
eternity,  for  soul  and  body,  which  the  boundless  good- 
ness of  your  God  has  daily  poured  out  upon  each  of 
you  individually,  the  accidents  from  wliich  he  has  pre- 
served you;  the  graces  with  which  he  has  helped  you; 
and  all  this,  perhaps,  at  the  very  time  when  you  have 
been  his  enemies  by  sin,  and  undeserving  of  his  good- 
ness, what  an  immense  debt  of  gratitude  would  imme- 
diately present  itself  before  you,  as  due  to  your  Cre- 
ator! How  severe  would  be  the  reproacht  s  of  yonr 
conscience  for  your  past  thoughtlessness  and  neglect 
to  discharge  ihis  debt!  But,  alas!  how  much  more  enor- 
mous will  this  debt  appear,  and  how  infinitely  more 
terrible  will  be  the  reproaches  of  consci'ence  in  the 
awful  moment  of  drath,  when  the  goodness  of  God 
shall  display  itself  to  you  in  its  full  splendour,  and 
your  own  ungrateful  forgetiulness  of  his  mercies  shall 
present  itself  in  its  blackest  deformity!  From  this  day. 


THE    BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  195 

then,  let  the  benefits  which  you  have  received  from 
God  be  the  subject  of  your  daily  meditation,  and  meet 
with  a  daily  tribute  of  heart-felt  thanksgiving  to  the 
bounty  of  your  Creator.  The  royal  prophet  declares, 
that  he  will  sing  the  praises  of  his  God  each  day  of 
his  existence;  and  invites  the  whole  universe  to  unite 
its  voice  in  proclaiming  the  bounty  of  his  Creator. 
His  Psahns,  full  of  every  sentiment  that  piety  can 
suggest,  are  principally  hymns  of  praise  and  thanks- 
giving, abounding  with  the  grateful  expressions  of  a 
heart  whose  constant  delight  and  occupation  was  to 
contemplate  the  riches  of  God's  mercy,  and  raise  it- 
self in  spirit  to  the  blessed  choirs  above,  who  sing 
without  ceasing  the  praises  of  the  Almighty.  Like 
this  holy  prophet  and  faithful  servant  of  God,  do  you, 
my  beloved  brethren  make  it  your  frequent,  I  would 
say,  your  daily  occupation,  to  recite  some  part  of  the 
Psalms,  or  at  least  to  pour  forth  the  pious  effusions  of 
your  own  hearts  in  gratitude  to  Him  who  daily  be- 
stows so  many  of  his  best  blessings  upon  you.  Your 
fidelity  in  this  practice  will  be  a  happy  mark  of  your 
being  destined  one  day  to  join  the  happy  company  of 
those  who  in  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  know  no  other 
employment  or  happiness  than  to  sing  eternal  hymns 
of  praise,  adoration,  and  thanksgiving,  to  the  Deity. 

But  to  return  to  the  history  of  Tobias.  The  holy 
Scripture  informs  us,  that  Tobias,  after  thanking  his 
guide,  whom  he  did  not  yet  know  to  be  an  Angel,  for 
past  favours,  requested  a  fresh  proof  of  his  kindness 
and  attention,  by  soliciting  him  to  undertake  a  journey 
to  Rages,  and  recover  the  sum  of  money  which  his 
father  had  lent  to  Gabelus.  The  angel  Raphael, 
withcmt  any  hesitation,  complied  with  the  request,  and 
immediately  set  out  for  Rages,  as  the  sacred  text  thus 
relates; 


196  TWENTIETH  HOMILY  ON 

Ver.  6.  Then  Raphael  took  four  of  Rasiiel's  servants,  and  two 
camels,  and  went  to  Rages,  the  city  of  the  Medes,  and  finding 
Gabelus,  gave  him  his  note  of  hand,  and  received  of  liim  all 

the  money 7.   And  he  told  him  concerning  Tobias,  the  son 

of  Tobias,  all  that  had  been  done,  and  made  him  come  with 
him  to  the  wedding. 

The  hoi)'  Scripture  noiv  introduces  to  our  notice, 
another  servant  of  God,  Gabelus.  From  what  had 
before  been  said  of  him  by  the  elder  Tobias,  we  were 
enabled  to  learn  that  Gabelus  was  a  man  of  upright 
character.  On  the  present  occasion,  the  sacred  wri- 
ter says  but  little  of  him,  but  that  little  is  sufficient  to 
discover  to  us  the  excellency  of  his  heart  and  conduct. 
Honest  and  just  by  principle,  Gabelus  embraces  with 
joy  the  opportunity  now  offered  him  of  repaying  the 
money  which  liis  friend  and  kinsman  had  lent  him,  and 
of  testifying,  at  the  same  time,  his  esteem  for  Tobias, 
and  his  regard  for  his  kinsman.  No  less  just  in  giving 
to  God  that  which  belonged  to  him,  Gabelus  manifests 
a  great  piety  and  sense  of  the  divine  goodness,  and  as- 
cribes every  blessing  to  the  divine  bounty.  Thus  does 
this  holy  man  furnish  us  with  an  example  of  that  two- 
fold justice  which  combines  to  form  the  character  of 
the  true  Christian,  justice  towards  God,  and  justice 
towards  our  neighbours.  To  be  just  towards  God, 
we  must  faithfully  consecrate  to  him  the  powers  and 
faculties  of  the  being  which  he  has  bestowed  upon  us^ 
paying  to  him  with  fidelity  our  homage  of  morning 
and  evening  devotion,  making  him  the  end  of  all  our 
actions,  and  diligently  walking  in  the  path  of  his  holy 
commandments.  To  be  just  to  our  neighbour,  we 
must  carefully  regulate  our  conduct  by  that  golden  rule 
of  doing  to  others  as  we  would  have  them  do  to  us. 
By  this  rule  all  our  thouglits,  words,  and  actions,  as 
far  as  they  regard  our  fellow-creatures,  will  one  day 
be  examined  at  the  tribunal  of  our  sovereign  Judge, 
and  every  deviation  from  it  will  be  enregestered  against 
us  as  an  injustice,  hateful  in  the  sight  of  God,  who,  as 
the  Psalmist  assures  us,  Psalrn  xliv,  "loveth  justice. 


THE  BOOK  OF   TOBIAS.  197 

and  hateth  injustice."  The  maxims  and  pratice  of 
worldlings,  under  cover  of  which  too  many  Christians 
frame  to  themselves  a  false  conscience,  and  by  which' 
they  pretend  to  justify  their  frauds,  over-reachings, 
and  deceits,  will  then  be  of  no  avail.  All  will  be  ex- 
amined by  the  plain  simple  rule  of  doing  as  we  would 
be  done  to.  Gabelus  was  fully  sensible  of  his  duty  in 
this  respect,  and  having  borrowed  a  sum  of  money  of 
his  friend,  was  careful  not  to  squander  it  in  idleness, 
pride,  or  excess.  This  he  knew  would  have  been  an 
injustice  that  would  have  for  ever  excluded  him  from 
a  share  in  the  inheritance  of  tlie  just.  He  employed 
the  money  which  Tobias  had  lent  him,  in  sonSe  honest, 
industrious  way  of  business,  and  carefully  laid  by  what 
Providence  enabled  him  to  save  by  his  labour,  till  an 
opportunity  should  offer  of  returning  the  whole  sum 
to  his  friend.  His  upright  and  honest  intentions  drew 
down  a  blessing  from  heaven  upon  his  temporal  con- 
cerns. But  how  severely  does  his  conduct  reproach 
those  unjust  Christians,  who  either  unlawfully  detain 
the  property  of  others,  or  take  no  pains  to  restore  it; 
who,  by  their  idleness  or  evil  habits,  involve  them- 
selves and  their  families  in  debt;  or,  when  already  in- 
volved, use  no  endeavour  to  extricate  themselves.  In 
vain  will  such  persons  cry  out  for  mercy  at  the  tribu- 
nal of  God;  the  cry  of  their  injustices  will  ascend  be- 
fore God,  and  their  lot  will  be  among  those  of  whom 
St.  Paul  speaks  when  he  says,  that  no  unjust  person 
shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  Frequently  then, 
my  beloved  brethren,  examine  your  conduct  towards 
your  neighbour  by  the  gospel  precept,  correct  every 
past  deviation  from  it,  and  avoid  for  the  future  every, 
even  the  least  wilful  transgression  of  it. 

Gabelus  having  taken  up  his  note  of  hand,  accepted 
of  the  young  Tobias's  invitation,  and  accompanied 
the  Angel  to  the  wedding. 


17^ 


198  TWENTIETH  HOMILY  ON 

Ver.  8.     And  when  he  was  come  into  Raguel's  house,  he  found 
Tobias  sitting  at  the  table:  and  he  leaped  up  and  they  kissed 

each   otiier:  and    Gabelus   wept  and  blessed  God, 9.     And 

said:  The  God  of  Israel  bless  tiiee,  because  thou  art  the  son  of 
a  very  good  and  just  man,  and  that  feareth  God,  and  doth  alms- 
deeds: 10.  And  may  a  blessing   come  up-m    thy  wife,   and 

upon  your  parents: 11.  And  may  you  see  your  children,  and 

your  children's  children,  unto  the  third  and  fourth  generation: 
and  may  your  seed  be  blessed  by  the  God  of  Israel,  who  reigneth 

for  ever  and  ever 12.  And  when  all  had  said  Amen,  they 

went  to  the  feast,  but  the  marriage-feast  they  celebrated  also 
with  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 

AVhen  Gabelus  entered  the  house  of  Raguel,  Tobias 
rose  up  JVom  table,  as  a  mark  of  respect  for  the  virtues 
of  his  oliaracter,  and  embraced  him  with  affection. 
Gabelus  wept  for  joy  at  the  sight  of  his  kinsman's 
son,  and  the  thought  of  the  wonderful  goodness  of 
God  towards  him.  As  soon  as  his  feelings  would  per- 
mit, he  expressed  the  pious  emotions  in  a  hearty 
thanksgiving  to  God  for  past  mercies,  and  a  ferv^ent 
supplication  for  a  continuance  of  the  divine  blessing 
to  Tobias  and  his  family,  even  to  their  latest  posterity. 
How  admirable  are  the  simplicity  and  piety  of  this 
holy  company!  God  is  ever  present  to  their  thoughts; 
to  bless  his  holy  name  seems  to  be  their  greatest  de- 
light, their  constant  and  favourite  occupation.  To  him 
they  look  for  every  blessing;  him  they  consider  as  the 
author  of  all  the  happiness  which  they  enjoy;  to  him 
they  present  their  sincere  thanksgiving.  Their  good 
wishes  to  eacli  other,  are  so  many  prayers  addressed 
to  the  bountiful  Giver  of  all  good  gifts.  Gabelus  ex- 
presses these  holy  sentiments,  and  the  rest  of  this  pious 
family  confirm  them  by  devoutly  answering  Amen;  a 
model  for  Christians  in  the  great  and  holy  duty  of 
family  prayer.  After  their  prayers,  these  holy  Israelites 
sit  down  to  the  marriage-feast  with  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 
No  excess,  no  drunkenness,  no  evil  conversation,  dis- 
graces their  mirth;  the  presence  of  God  fills  their 
thoughts,  to  wliom  their  hearts  are  directed;  all  their  joy 
is  s.T.K'M'ied  by  a  pure  intention,  moderation,  and  holy 
discourse.  Their  feast  is  an  emblem  of  that  eternal 
feast  which  the  elect  enjoy  in  the  kingdom  of  their  God. 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  199 


T^KTENTYPIBST  HOMILY 

Chap.  X.  ver.  1  But  as  Tobias  made  longer  stay  upon  occasion 
of  the  marriage,  Tobias,  his  fatlier,  was  solicitous,  saying: 
Why,  thinkest  tiiou,  dotli  my  son  tarry,  or  why  is  lie  detained 

there? 2.  Is   Gabelus  dead,  thinkest  thou,  and  no  man  will 

pay  him  the  money?.. ..,3.  And  he  began  to  be  exceeding  sad, 
both  he  and  Apna  liis  wife  with  him:  and  they  began  both  to 
weep  together,  because  their  son  did  not  return  to  them  on  the 
day  appointed. 

The  young'  Tobias,  yielding  to  the  pressing  solici- 
tations of  his  father-in-law,  consented  to  spend  a  fort- 
night after  his  marriage  at  Raguel's  house.  His  parents, 
not  seeing  him  return  at  the  time  appointed,  began  to 
be  anxious  for  his  safety,  and  knew  not  how  to  account 
for  his  stay.  His  father,  notwithstanding  his  great 
virtue  and  confidence  in  the  divine  protection,  felt  his 
mind  quite  overpowered  with  griet^,  and  could  hardly 
support  his  affliction.  His  son,  whom  he  looked  upon 
as  his  only  comfort  under  the  trials  that  had  befallen 
him,  seemed  now  lost  to  him,  and  he  became  exceed- 
ingly sad.  The  anxiety,  the  giicf  and  tears  of  this 
holy  servant  of  God,  so  full  of  faith  and  piety,  discover 
to  us  that  the  most  holy  persons  are  not  exempt  from 
the  weaknesses  of  human  nature.  Almighty  God  per- 
mits this,  that  his  servants,  sensible  of  their  weakness, 
may  never  presume  upon  their  own  strength  and 
courage,  but  may  remember  that  all  their  sufficiency 
and  force  come  from  God.  Did  we  behold  the  Saints 
on  all  occasions  firm,  intrepid,  without  any  sentiments 
of  fear,  without  anxiety  or  weakness,  we  should  be 
inclined  to  look  upon  them  as  a  superior  order  of  beings, 
whose  example  it  would  be  in  vain  for  us  to  attempt 
to  imitate.  Under  the  trials  which  Providence  ap- 
points for  our  mortal  pilgrimage,  we  should  want  the 
encouragement  and  help  to  virtue  which  we  derive 


200  TWENTY-FIRST   HOMILY  ON 

from  the  example  of  the  failliful  servants  of  God  who 
have  Irod  tlie  path  of  affliction  before  us.  But  when 
we  see  even  the  chosen  friends  of  God  sometimes 
sinking  under  the  weakness  of  nature,  and  experiencing 
the  same  feelings  as  ourselves,  we  feel  encouraged  not 
to  yield  to  despondency,  but  to  bear  up  with  hope, 
relying  on  the  same  divine  arm  which  strengthened 
them,  and  enabled  them  to  triumph  in  the  end.  Virtue 
does  not  extinguish,  but  she  regulates  and  tempers  the 
feelings  of  nature,  teaching  us  to  make,  even  of  our 
imperfections,  so  many  steps  to  heaven,  by  humility, 
and  the  confession  of  our  own  weakness.  Thus  the 
grief  and  anxiety  of  Tobias  were  merely  passing 
emotions  of  his  mind.  Faith,  which  was  deeply  rooted 
in  his  heart,  soon  lifted  liim  above  his  momentary  de- 
jection, and  restored  the  calmness  and  tranquillity  of 
his  mind.  After  a  momentary  expression  of  the  feel- 
ings which  attcm[)ted  to  draw  him  aside  from  the  path 
of  hope,  he  turns  his  tiioughts  to  the  goodness  of  his 
God,  and  animates  himself  with  conhdence  in  the  di- 
vine protection.  Fully  persuaded  that  his  son  had  left 
home  under  the  direction  of  a  guide  sent  by  God 
himself,  he  feels  assured  of  his  happy  and  safe  return. 
Gaining  strength  from  his  momentary  weakness,  he 
suppresses  his  own  grief,  and  attempts  to  dry  up  the 
tears  of  his  wife.  Happy  would  it  have  been  for  her, 
if  she  had  been  blessed  with  the  like  strong  faith,  and 
the  same  holy  dispositions,  as  her  husband! 

Ver.  4.  But  she  (liis  mother)  wept,  and  was  quite  disconsolate, 
and  said:  Woe,  woe  is  me,  my  son,  why  did  we  send  tiiee  to 
go  to  a  strange  country,  the  light  of  our  eyes,  the  staff  of  our 

old  age,  the  comfort  of  our  life,  the  hope  of  our  posterity 5. 

We,  having  all  things  together  in  tliee  alone,  ought  not  to  have 

let  thee    go  from  us 6.   And  Tobias  said   to  her:  Hold  thy 

peace,  and  bu    not    troubled,  our  son  is   safe;  that   man,  with 

whom  we  sent  him,  is  very  trusty 7.  But  she   could  by  no 

means  be  comforted,  but  daily  running  out,  looked  round  about, 
and  went  into  all  the  ways,  by  which  there  seemed  any  hope 
he  might  return,  that  she  might,  if  possible,  see  him  coming 
afar  t.lY. 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  201 

In  all  that  the  holy  Scripture  here  relates  of  the 
grief  of  Anna,  and  the  manner  of  her  expressing  it, 
we  discover  an  exact  picture  of  human  nature  in  the 
greatest  distress.  In  what  feeling  language  does  she 
unbosom  her  anguished  heart!  How  eloquent  does  af- 
fliction render  her!  Her  every  word  bespeaks  the 
tenderness  of  a  fond  mother,  overwhelmed  with  grief 
at  the  thought  of  her  having  lost  her  only  son!  Her 
past  experience  of  the  goodness  of  God,  and  the  holy 
example  of  her  husband,  ought  to  have  consoled  her, 
and  raised  her  from  the  dejection  into  which  she  had 
sunk.  But,  alas!  void  of  tliat  solid  faith  and  those 
principles  of  religion,  which  formed  the  character  of 
Tobias,  she  is  the  victim  of  despondency,  and  appears 
without  consolation,  and  even  without  hope.  In  her, 
nature  alone  acts  as  guide;  and  what  is  liuman  nature 
in  the  hour  of  trial,  without  the  aid  of  religion.''  A 
weak,  deceitful,  and  pernicious  guide,  which  does  not 
even  permit  us  to  see  the  palh  that  would  ^ead  us  to 
happiness,  which  strews  with  fresh  thorns  the  rugged 
way  of  affliction,  robs  us  of  comfort,  and  deprives  us 
of  that  present  merit  and  future  reward  which  are  the 
happy  fruits  that  religion  teaches  us  to  expect  from 
the  crosses  and  afflictions  ordained  for  our  journey 
through  this  vale  of  tears.  In  vain  does  Tobias  en- 
deavour to  console  his  wife,  and  make  her  a  partaker 
of  his  own  sources  of  comfort  and  hope.  In  vain  does 
he  impart  to  her  the  inward  confidence  which  animates 
his  breast,  that  his  son  is  under  the  guidance  of  Provi- 
dence. In  vain  does  he  assure  her,  as  if  inspired  by 
God  with  the  knowledge  of  it,  that  his  son  is  safe,  and 
conjure  her  to  banish  her  uneasiness  and  alarm.  She 
could  not  be  comforted,  because  her  heart  was  a 
stranger  to  those  principles  of  religion  which  formed 
the  solid  foundation  of  her  husband's  virtue.  How 
strikingly  does  this  contrast  of  disposition  and  conduct 
in  Tobias  and  Anna  prove  to  us,  that  our  present  com- 
fort and  welfare,  no  less  than  our  future  happiness,  are 


202  TWENTY-FIRST   HOMILY  ON 

closely  connected  with  a  steady  adherence  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  religion!  To  pass  through  this  life  without 
trials  is  not  to  be  expected;  happy,  therefore,  is  that 
Christian,  who,  during  the  time  of  tranquillity  and 
peace,  fortifies  his  mind  against  the  hour  of  trial,  by 
imprinting  deeply  in  his  soul  those  principles  which 
will  enable  him  to  meet  his  afflictions  as  the  appoint- 
ments of  a  fatherly  Providence,  and  to  turn  them  into 
so  many  blessings  for  eternity,  by  receiving  them  with 
clieerful  submission  lo  the  will  of  heaven.  Viewing 
our  afflictions  in  the  light  in  which  religion  places  them 
before  us,  and  sanctifying  them  by  the  holy  disposi- 
tions in  which  she  directs  us  to  embrace  them,  we 
shall,  like  the  aged  Tobias,  find  comfort  even  under 
the  severest  of  trials;  and  not,  like  Anna,  be  left  desti- 
tute of  consolation  and  of  hope. 

Vcr.  8.     But  Ragnel  said  to  his  son-in-law:  Stay  here,  and  I  will 

send  a  messeni^er  to  Tobias  thy  father,  that  thou  art  in  health 

9.  And  Tobius  said  to  him:  1  know  that  my  father  and  mother 
now  count    llie    days,  and    their    spirit  is    grievously  afflicted 

within  then 10.  And  when  Raguel  had  pressed  Tobias  with 

many  words,  and  he  by  no  means  would  hearken  to  him,  he 
delivered  Sarah  unto  him,  and  half  of  all  his  substance,  in 
men-servants  and  women-servants,  in  cattle,  in  camels,  and  in 
kine,  and  in  much  money,  and  sent  him  away  safe  and  joyful 

from  him 11.  Saying:  The  holy  .\ngel  of  the  Lord  be  with 

jou  in  your  journey,  and  bring  you  through  safe,  and  that  you 
may  find  all  things  well  about  your  parent's,  and  my  eyes  may 

see  your   children  before  I  die 12.   And  the  parents  taking 

their  daughter,  kissed  her  and  let  her  go: 13.  Admonishing 

her  to  lionour  her  father  and  mother- iu-law,  to  love  her  hus- 
band, to  take  care  of  the  family,  to  govern  well  the  house,  and 
to  bcliave  herself  without  blame. 

Ragnel,  cliarmed  vyith  the  virtues  of  his  son-in-law, 
was  anxious  to  detain  him  a  little  longer  than  the  fort- 
night which  he  had  consented  to  stay.  But  Tobias, 
having  fulfilled  the  business  upon  which  he  had  been 
sent  by  his  aged  parents,  and  knowing  how  uneasy 
they  would  feel  during  his  absence  from  home,  was 
determined  not  to  delay  his  return  any  longer  without 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  203 

necessity.  As  a  proof  of  his  affectionate  regard  and 
dutiful  submission  to  hit  father-in-law,  he  had  complied 
with  RaguePs  request,  and  spent  a  fortnight  after  his 
marriage  at  his  house.  This  was  a  respect  which  he 
considered  due  to  his  father-in-law.  But  he  felt  the 
claim  which  his  own  aged  parents  had  to  his  attention, 
and  he  was  now  resolved  to  lose  no  time  in  administer- 
ing comfort  to  tliem,  by  liis  presence  at  home.  When 
pressed  by  Raguel  to  remain  a  little  longer  witli  him, 
he  modestly  suggested  the  affliction  which  any  further 
delay  would  occasion  to  his  parents,  and  expressed  his 
fixed  determination  to  set  out  upon  his  journey  towards 
home.  Raguel,  seeing  his  resolution,  consented  to  his 
departure,  and  delivered  to  him  one  half  of  his  sub- 
stance, according  to  the  promise  which  he  had  made. 
On  parting  willi  his  son-in-law,  Raguel  prayed  that  the 
Angel  of  tbe  Lord  might  be  with  him  on  his  journey, 
and  conduct  him  home  in  safety.  The  elder  Tobias 
had  prayed  for  the  same  blessing  upon  his  son,  when 
he  was  leaving  liome.  The  prayers  of  these  iioly  men 
clearly  shew,  that  the  faith  of  the  ancient  patriarchs 
respecting  the  ministry  of  Angels  was  religiously  pre- 
served among  the  lsiaelij.es;  that  this  truth  was  ever 
present  to  their  minds,  and* had  a  powerful  and  becom- 
ing influence  upon  their  actions.  From  God  alone 
they  looked  for  succour  and  blessing,  both  for  them- 
selves and  tlieir  fiiends;  but  they  confidently  expected 
that  it  was  by  the  ministry  of  Angels  this  succoui  and 
this  blessing  would  be  bestowed  upon  them. 

Truly  atfecting  is  the  tender  farewell  which  Raguel 
and  his  wife  take  of  their  daughter  and  her  husband. 
Truly  important  and  instructive  is  the  advice  which 
they  give  to  Sarah;  they  make  use  of  but  few  words, 
but  those  few  words  contain  in  substance  every  counsel 
that  is  proper  for  a  young  woman  just  entered  into  the 
married  state.  They  "admonish  her  to  honour  her 
father  and  mothe-r-in-law,  to  love  her  husband,  to  take 
care  of  her  family,  to  govern  well  her  house,  and  to 


204  TWENTY-FIRST  HOMILY  OV 

behave  herself  without  blame."  ver.  13.  They  speak 
not  of  her  duty  to  God:  in  this  point  they  are  confi- 
dent she  will  not  be  deficient.  They  had  trained  her 
in  the  path  of  virtue  from  her  infancy,  and  they  had 
witnessed  the  happy  fruits  of  iheir  labours  in  her  ad- 
vancing age;  they  had  seen  her  constant  and  fervent  in 
her  devotions  to  God,  and  affectionately  obedient  to 
their  own  orders  during  the  years  which  she  had  pas- 
sed under  her  parent's  roof;  they  doubt  not,  there/ore, 
that  she  will  continue  dui  ing  her  whole  life  to  be  guided 
by  the  same  principles,  in  these  branches  of  duty. 
But  they  now  behold  their  daughter  entering  into  a 
new  state  of  life  bringing  with  it  the  most  important 
obligations;  upon  the  I'aitliful  discharge  of  which  they 
know  that  her  own  happiness,  and  that  of  her  family, 
will  principally  depend.  It  is  too  true,  that  few  Chris- 
tian parents  think  of  pointing  out  these  obligations  to 
their  children  at  the  proper  time;  and  few  young  per- 
sons, when  they  enter  into  matrimony,  seem  sensible 
that  such  obligations  are  attached  to  their  state.  But 
it  is  not  so  with  those  who  are  really  servants  of  God; 
who  are  Christians,  not  merely  in  name,  but  in  prac- 
tice; and  who  are  really  desirous  of  pleasing  God 
during  life,  of  enjoying  him  after  death,  and  of  meet- 
ing their  children  in  the  realms  of  hliss.  Like  Raguel 
and  Anna,  they  not  only  teach  their  families  the  general 
duties  of  prayer,  of  charity,  and  justice,  and  of  ab- 
staining from  sin;  they  not  only  fulfil  their  own  obliga- 
tions, but  in  settling  their  children  in  the  world,  look 
principally  to  the  sanctification  and  salvation  of  their 
souls,  and  hence  are  ca.eful  to  impress  upon  their 
minds  the  obligation  of  studying  and  practising  the 
respective  duties  attached  to  the  state  of  life  which 
they  embrace.  For,  a^  an  eminent  servant  of  God 
(Bishop  Challoner)  observes,  true  sanctity,  or  holiness 
of  life,  does  not  consist  in  performing  any  extraordi- 
nary actions,  but  in  performii^g  llie  ordinary  du^es  of 
our  calling  exlpaordinarily  well;  that  is,  with  a  pure 


•THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS. 


205 


motive  of  pleasing;  God,  and  in  the  best  possible  man- 
ner. The  wisdom  of  divine  Providence  lias  permitted 
different  stations  in  life,  none  of  which  he  excludes 
from  a  title  to  everlasting  life,  so  long  as  there  is  nothing 
in  them  wliich  is  incompatible  with  the  maxims  of  the 
gospel.  Sanctity  then,  is  not  confined  to  any  one  state 
of  life,  but  is  attainable  in  all  states.  The  lives  of  the 
Saints  who  have  gone  before  us  in  the  path  of  virtue, 
inform  us,  (hat  there  is  not  a  single  station  in  life,  from 
the  throne  to  the  cottage,  which  has  not  been  adorned 
by  the  practice  of  Christian  virtue,  and,  consequently, 
wliich  has  not  produced  Saints.  But  every  stale  of 
life  has  certain  peculiar  duties  attached  to  it,  which 
form  its  most  essential  obligations,  and  on  the  practice 
of  which  depends  the  eternal  happiness  of  those  who 
are  engaged  in  it.  It  is  possible  then,  and  not  unfre- 
quently  the  case,  that  Christians  may  be  very  regular 
and  exemplary  as  to  the  practice  of  certain  general 
duties,  sucli  as  morning  and  evening  prayer,  attending 
at  mass,  frequenting  the  sacraments,  &c.  and  at  the 
same  time  be  very  ignorant  of,  and  very  deficient  in 
the  practice  of  the  very  obligations  on  the  discharge 
of  which  their  claim  to  eternal  life  depends.  Unac- 
quainted with  these  obligations,  they  go  on  in  the  same 
beaten  track  which  they  see  trodden  by  others  who 
are  reputed  good  Christians:  in  approaciiing  to  the 
sacraments,  tiiey  examine  their  consciences  only  as  to 
general  duties;  and  finding  no  reproach  on  those  points, 
they  pursue  their  usual  course  under  the  confidence  of 
a  false  security,  and  thus  live  and  die  in  the  neglect  of 
many  important  obligations.  This  fatal  ignorance,  and 
this  neglect  of  the  duties  of  their  state  of  life,  will 
prove  the  exclusion  of  many  from  the  kingdom  of 
God,  who,  though  wearing  the  appearance  of  Saints 
in  the  eyes  of  men,  in  the  sight  of  God  will  stand  con- 
demned of  a  gross  and  criminal  violation  of  their  most 
important  obligations,  as  husbands,  wives,  parents, 
pastors,  masters,  servants,  &c. 
18 


206  TWENTY-FIRST  HOMILY  ON 

I  cannot  then,  my  beloved  brethren,  impress  too 
strongly  upon  your  minds,  how  much  it  is  incumbent 
upon  you  to  study  well  what  are  the  obligations  of 
that  state  of  life  in  wliich  you  are  placed;  to  examine 
with  rigid  nicety,  when  you  go  to  confession,  your 
conduct  in  fulfilling  hose  oblig.itions;  to  attend  to  the 
advice  of  your  director  on  this  important  point;  and 
to  make  it  your  principal  cave,  after  receiving  the 
sacraments,  to  discharge  with  greater  exactness  and 
fidelity  the  duties  of  your  calling.  1  luis  you  will 
truly  become  good  Christians,  servants  of  God,  and 
followers  of  his  Saints.  In  these  holy  persons,  the 
great  principle  of  their  sanctity  was  their  strict  atten- 
tion to  the  duties  ol  their  station.  The  same  princi- 
ple, as  we  see  in  the  exampk;  before  us  of  Raguel  and 
Anna,  they  instilled  into  their  children. 

in  the  advice  \vhich  tiiese  holy  persons  give  to  tlieir 
daughter,  they  confine  tliemselves  to  her  duties  as  a 
wife,  the  mistress  of  a  family;  and  the  advice  is  de- 
serving the  attention  of  young  married  wunien.  First, 
they  admonish  her  to  honour  her  father  and  u.other- 
in-law;  to  pay  them,  even  in  old  age  and  infirmity,  at- 
tention, respect,  and  reverence;  to  shew  them  that 
kind  and  ati'eciionate  deference,  with  which  nature 
directs  children  to  repay  the  love  and  the  tenderness 
of  their  parents,  coiisidering  the  jjarents  of  her  hus- 
band as  her  own,  heing  no  longer  but  one  in  heart  and 
affection  with  him.  Secondly,  they  admonish  her  to 
love  her  husband  wiih  a  love  of  tenderness,  respect, 
and  submission.  Oh!  how  much  does  the  liappiness  of 
married  persons  depend  upon  their  cherishing  a  mutual 
affection;  an  affection,  which  can  be  preserved  only  by 
husband  arid  wife,  studying  to  learn  each  other's  incli- 
nation, to  avoid  what  would  displease  or  aggravate, 
and  cheerfully  to  perform  that  which  they  know  will 
give  pleasure  to  their  partner.  Thirdly,  they  admonish 
Sarah  to  take  care  of  her  family,  to  remember  that 
the  souls  of  her  children  and  servants  would  be  en- 


THE  BOOK  OP  TOBIAS.  207 

trusted  to  her  charge,  to  see  them  punctual  in  the  ful- 
iihiient  o(  theh'  reHgioiis  duties,  to  instruct  them  in  the 
truths  of  salvation,  to  watch  over  heir  morals,  to  give 
them  an  edifying  example,  and  not  to  neglect  any  thing 
wliich  miglit  contribute  to  turn  them  from  evil  and 
lead  them  to  good.  Lastly,  they  admonish  her  to 
govern  well  her  household,  by  good  management, 
order,  and  regularity  in  all  her  domestic  concerns;  and 
to  keep  herself  without  blame,  by  a  holy  and  irre- 
proachable life,  in  all  chastity,  mildness,  gentleness, 
and  a  general  prudence  of  conduct,  so  exemplary  as 
to  form  the  comfort  of  her  liusband,  the  happiness  of 
her  family,  and  the  edification  of  her  neighbour.  St. 
Paul,  in  his  Epistle  to  Titus,  chap.  ii.  ver.  4.  gives 
nearly  the  same  advice  to  young  women,  "to  love  their 
husbands  and  families,  to  be  discreet,  chaste,  sober, 
having  a  care  of  the  house,  gentle,  obedient  to  their 
husbands,  that  the  word  of  God  may  not  be  blasphem- 
ed." Let  all  in  the  married  state  consider  this  advice 
as  addi'essed  to  themselves,  and  regulate  their  lives 
by  it. 


P 


208  TWENTY-SECOND  HOMILY  ON 


TWENTY-SrCOKD  HOZ^ZI.Y. 

Chap.  XI.  ver.  1.     And    as   they    were   returning,  the}'  came  to 

Charan,  which  is  in  the  midway  to  Ninive,  the  eleventh  day 

2.  And  the  Angel  said:   Brother  Tobias,  thou  knowest  how  thou 

didst  leave  tliy  father 3.   If  it  please  thee,  tiierefore,  let  us 

go  before,  and  let  the  family  follow  softly  after  us,  together 

with  thy   wife,  and    thy  beasts 4.   And  a'^  this  their  going 

pleased  him,  Raphael  said  to  Tobias:  Take  with  thee  the  gall 
of  the  fish,  for  it  will  be  necessary.  So  Tobias  took  some  of 
that  gall,  and  departed. 

The  young-  Tobias  having  taken  leave  of  his  father 
and  mother-in-law,  lost  no  time  in  niaking  the  best  of 
his  way  home.  When  he  had  advanced  lialf  way  on 
his  journey,  the  an<;el  Raphael,  knowing-  the  anxiety 
which  his  aged  parents  felt  on  account  of  the  long 
absence  of  their  son,  proposed  to  Tobias  to  hasten 
forwards  wMtli  himself,  leaving  his  wife  and  the  rest 
of  his  family  to  follow  atler  by  slower  journeys.  At 
the  same  time,  Raphael  reminded  Tobias  to  take  with 
him  a  part  of  the  gall  of  the  fish,  which  God  designed 
to  make  the  instrument  of  his  mercy  towards  his  aged 
father.  Guided  by  a  s]n\il  of  docility,  and  obedient 
in  all  things  to  the  advice  of  his  conductor,  Tobias 
obeyed  without  hesitation  the  directions  which  the 
Angel  gave  him,  and  went  forward  with  him.  No 
earthly  tie,  not  even  his  strong  affection  for  his  virtu- 
ous w'ife,  could  shake  the  steady  determination  of  his 
mind  to  walk  in  the  path  of  humble  obedience,  or  in- 
duce him  to  prefer  his  own  will  before  what  he  be- 
lieved to  be  the  ^vill  of  God.  As  he  was  drawing 
near  to  his  home, 

Ver.  7.     Raphael  said  to  Tobias:  As  soon  as  thou  shalt  come  into 
thy  house,  forthwith  adore  the  Lord  thy  God:  and  f^iving  thanks 

to  him,  go  to  thy  father  and  kiss  him 8.  And  immediately 

anoint  his  eyes  with  this  gall  of  the  fish  which  thou  carriest 
with  thee.  For  be  assured  that  his  eyes  shall  be  presently 
opened,  and  thy  father  shall  see  the  light  of  heaven,  and  shall 
rejoice  in  the  sight  of  thee. 


tHB  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS,  209 

The  Angel  advises  Tobias  as  soon  as  he  enters  his 
father's  house,  to  let  the  duties  of  religion  be  his  first 
concern,  to  pour  forlh  liis  heart  in  fervent  adoration  to 
God,  and  thank  him  for  his  gracious  protection  during 
his  journey.  Such  is  the  conduct  which  true  piety  points 
out  to  those  in  whose  breasts  it  dwells.  The  greatest 
Saints  have  made  it  theii-  constant  practice  to  follow  this 
rule  through  the  course  of  their  lives.  The  great  St. 
Benedict,  in  the  rule  which  he  gave  to  his  monks,  or- 
dained that  when  they  received  strangers  at  their  con- 
vents, they  should  first  conduct  them  to  the  Church  to 
perform  a  short  act  of  devotion.  Indeed,  as  God  is  the 
first  beginning  and  the  last  end  of  all  things,  to  him  we 
should  consecrate  the  beginning  and  the  end  of  all  our 
actions.  This  should  form  a  part  of  our  morning  devo- 
tions each  day  of  our  existence;  and  lest,  through  the 
hurry  of  worldly  business,  or  the  fascinating  allurements 
of  earthly  pleasures,  our  minds  should  lose  sight  of  this 
obligation  of  making  God  the  beginning  and  end  of  all 
that  we  do;  lest  any  want  of  a  pure  intention  of  the  di- 
vine glory,  should  vitiate  our  actions  and  rob  them  of 
their  claim  to  a  future  reward,  we  should  be  careful, 
like  the  Saints  of  God,  to  renew  frequently  in  our  minds 
a  sense  of  the  divine  presence,  and  repeat  the  offering 
of  our  actions  and  employments  to  our  Creator.  Be- 
sides, we  are  at  each  moment  of  our  lives  in  the  midst 
of  a  host  of  dangers  which  threaten  us,  and  from  which 
nothing  but  the  omnipotent  power  and  unbounded  good- 
ness of  the  Deity  can  deliver  us.  Placed  then  each 
instant  under  the  most  weighty  obligations  to  God  for 
past  favours,  and  depending  upon  him  each  moment 
for  future  mercy,  our  lives,  if  possible,  should  form  one 
continued  act  of  adoration,  thanksgiving,  and  supplica- 
tion. The  Church  of  God,  sensible  of  this  duty,  has 
consecrated  the  different  parts  of  the  day  to  prayer,  ap- 
pointing her  ministers,  at  what  are  termed  the  canoni- 
cal hours,  to  fulfil  this  sacred  duty,  and  inviting  her 
children  frequently  to  unite  in.  the  same  hoh  exergise. 
18* 


210  TWENTY -SECOND   HOMILT    ON 

The  history  of  the  Church  in  its  state  of  primitive 
fervour  informs  us  how  attentive  the  first  Chistians 
were  to  the  duty  of  frequent  prayer.      If  any  busi- 
ness, or  a  journey,  prevented  them  from  assisting  on 
the  week-days  at  public  prayer  in  the  house  of  God, 
they  failed  not  to  pray  at  the  appointed  times,  which 
were  every  three  hours.     To  renew  more  frequently 
in  their  minds  a  sense  of  the  divine  presence,  and  to 
fulfil  as  nearly  as  they  possibly  could  the  advice  of 
Jesus  Christ,  who  exhorts  us  to  pray  always,  they 
offered  up  a  short  prayer  before  every  action  of  the 
day.     The  precept  of  St.  Paul  to  the  Colossians  was 
constantly  in  their  thoughts,  "Whatsoever  ye  do  in 
word  or  in  work,  do  all  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  giving  thanks  to  God  and  ihe  Father  through 
him."     Col.  iii.  17.     Their  daily  labours,  whether  in 
the  field  or  in  the  shop,  were  begun  and  ended  with 
prayer.     Their  acts  of  devotion  throughout  the  day 
were  all  accompanied  with  the  sign  of  the  cross,  as 
an  expression  of  their  faith,  a  pledge   of  their  hope, 
and  a  token  of  their  love  and  gratitude.     TertuUian, 
one  of  the  earliest  Christian  writers,  Ut\\s  us,  that  the 
first  Christians  used  this  holy  sign  of  their  redemption 
at  almost  every  moment,  particularly  whenever  they 
went  out  of  their  houses  or  came  in,  when  they  dres- 
sed or  undressed,  when  they  sat  down  to  their  meals 
or  rose  up  from  them.     Let  it  be  remembered  too, 
that  the  Christians  who  were  thus  constant  in  prayer 
and  in  the  use  of  the  sign  of  the  cross,  lived  in  the 
midst  of  reviling  Jews  and  insulting  Pagans,  who  ridi- 
culed and  despised  the  religion  of  Chiist,  and  perse- 
cuted such  as  professed  it.     Yet  the  first  Christians, 
notwithstanding   the  contempt,   the   taunts,  and    the 
cruellies   of  their   adversaries,  persevered   with   un- 
shaken constancy  in  the  profession  of  their  faith,  and 
in  a  steady  adherence  to  the  practices  and  ceremonies 
sanctioned  by  the  Catholic  Church.     Let  their  piety 
l>e   your  model;  guided  by  the  same  spirit,  raise  up. 


THE  BOOK  OF   TOBIAS.  211 

your  hearts  frequently  during  the  day  lo  Almighty 
God,  and  implore  his  blessing,  more  especially  when 
undertaking  any  business  of  importance,  when  going 
a  jourjiey  or  returning  from  it.  These,  and  the  like 
holy  practices,  w\\\  draw  down  the  divme  blessing 
upon  your  goiyig  out  and  coming  in,  (Psalm  cxx.)  and 
will  merit  the  protection  of  heaven  at  every  step 
which  you  take. 

The  holy  Scripture,  after  detailing  to  us  the  direc- 
tions which  Raphael  gave  the  young  Tobias  on  his 
drawing  near  to  his  father's  house,  relates  this  affec- 
tionate meeting  with  his  parents,  in  a  style  of  simplici- 
ty which  is  truly  affecting,  and  which  far  surpasses  all 
tiie  embf;Hishments  tiiat  the  pen  of  the  brightest  genius 
could  bestow. 

Ver.  5.     But  Anna  (his  mother)  sat  beside  the  way  daily,  on  the 

top  of  a  hill,  from  whence  she  might   see  afar  off. 6.  And 

while  she  watched  his  coming  from  that  place,  she  saw  him 
iifar  off,  and  presently  perceived  it  was  her  son  coming,  and 
returning   she     told    her    husband,   saying:     Behold,    thy    son 

cometh 9.  Then  the  dog  which  had  been  with  them  in  the 

way,  ran  before,  and  coming  as  if  he  had  brought  the  news, 

shewed  his  joy  by  his  fawning  and  wagging  his  tail 10.  And 

his  father  that  was  blind,  rising  up,  began  to  run,  stumbling 
with  his  feet:  and  giving  a  servant  his  hand,  .vent  to  meet  his 

son 11.  And  receiving  him,  kissed  him,  as  did  also  his  wife, 

and  they  began  to  weep  for  joy. 

Nothing  can  exceed  the  admirable  and  affecting  sim- 
plicity of  this  narrative.  The  majesty  of  the  sacred 
writings  does  not  consist  in  the  pomp  of  human  elo- 
quence, but  in  an  inimitable  simplicity  of  style  and 
expression,  which  at  once  strikes  the  imagination  and 
affects  the  heart.  The  grief  and  regret  of  a  fond 
mother,  whose  impatient  anxiety  leads  her  daily  to  the 
top  of  some  hill  to  look  for  her  darling  son;  the  haste 
with  which  she  runs,  as  soon  as  she  perceives  her  son, 
to  impart  the  joyful  tidings  to  her  husband;  the  eager- 
ness with  which  the  old  man,  notwithstanding  his 
bhndness,  rises  from  his  seat,  and  runs  to  meet  his  son,, 


212  TWENTY-SECOIS'D  HOMILY   ON 

Stumbling  at  every  step  he  takes;  these  are  traits  of 
inimitable  beauty,  and  (orm  a  truly  interesting  and  af- 
fecting tale.  That  nothing  might  be  wanting  to  com- 
plete this  sketch  of  nature  in  its  most  agreeable  form 
of  unadorned  simplicity,  the  holy  Scripture  mentions 
the  affection  and  fidelity  of  the  little  dog  which  had 
accompanied  the  young  Tobias  on  his  journey.  What 
the  sacred  text  relates  of  this  circumstance  may  at 
first  sight  appear  too  low  and  trifling,  but  w'c  are  not 
to  judge  of  the  works  of  God  by  what  appears  little 
or  great  in  our  ideas.  All  the  works  of  the  Deity  are 
admirable  in  themselves;  and  oftentimes  those  which 
seem  the  most  mean  and  contemptible,  are  most  de- 
serving of  our  attention  and  admiration.  The  beauties 
of  nature,  even  in  its  minutest  parts,  are  trequently 
noticed  by  the  royal  Prophet  with  a  sublimity  of  ex- 
pression that  fills  tiie  soul  with  the  most  exalted  notions 
of  the  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness  of  the  Creator, 
and  points  out  to  us,  even  in  the  meanest  of  God's 
works,  subjects  of  astonishment,  admiration,  praise, 
and  thanksgiving.  The  dog  is  one  of  the  most  com- 
mon of  our  domestic  animals,  he  diverts  us  with  his 
fond  caresses,  guards  our  house  wnth  fidelity,  is  grateful 
for  favours,  and  immoveable  in  his  attachment  to  his 
master.  Vet,  endowed  with  these  properties,  or,  if  I 
may  so  express  myself,  blessed  with  these  animal  vir- 
tues, he  is  not  possessed  of  a  soul  as  we  are,  nor  has 
in  him  a  principle  of  immortality.  But,  too  often  do 
we  find  even  in  this  animal,  an  affection,  a  gratitude,  a 
fidelity,  which  we  in  vain  look  for  in  man,  though 
gifted  by  his  divine  Master  with  an  immortal  soul, 
bearing  in  itself  the  image  of  its  Creator,  and  destined 
for  an  eternal  union  with  him. 


THE    BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  213 

Ver.  12.  And  when  they  had  adored  God,  and  Riven  him  thanks, 

they  sat  down  together 13.  Then  Tobias,  taking  of  the  gall 

of  the  fish,  anointed  his  father's  eyes 14.  And   he  stayed 

about  half  an  hour:  and  a  white  skin  began  to  come  out  of  his 

eyes,  Jiife  tlie  skin  of  an  egg 15.   And  Tobias  took  hold  of 

it,  and  drew  it  from  his  eyes,  and  im-medijiely  he  recovered 

his  sight 16.    And  they  glorified  God,  both  he  and  his  wife, 

and  all  that  knew  liim 17.   And  Tobias  said:  1  bless  thee,  O 

Lord  God  of  Israel,  because  thou  hast  chastised  me,  and  thou 
hast  saved  me,  and  behold  1  see  Tobias  my  son. 

The  young  Tobias  like  his  father,  is  the  same  in 
prosperity  and  adversity;  nothing  can  draw  iiim  aside 
from  the  path  of  duty.  Though  overjoyed  at  seeing 
again  his  aged  parents,  he  does  not  foiget  the  direc- 
tions of  his  guide.  Tlie  angel  had  t(.ild  him  to  make 
his  first  act  on  entering  his  father's  house  an  act  of 
adoration  and  gratitude  to  God  for  the  protection  and 
the  blessings  whicii  had  attended  him  on  his  journey. 
Tobias  strictly  fulfils  this  adv'ice,  and  his  parents  unite 
with  him  in  blessing  and  praising  the  goodness  of  God. 
The  Angel  had  directed  Tobias,  in  tiie  s'^cond  place, 
to  anoint  his  falhei's  eyes  with  the  gall  of  the  fish,  as- 
suring him  that  his  faith,  humility,  and  obedience, 
would  be  rewarded  by  seeing  his  agid  parent  recover 
his  sight.  Tobias,  the  child  of  docility  and  obedience, 
after  paying  his  liomage  of  thanksgiving  to  God  in 
fervent  prayer,  applied  the  gall  of  the  fish,  as  the  An- 
gel had  directed,  and  in  half  an  hour  his  father  recov- 
ered his  sight.  This  miracle  of  the  divine  power  and 
goodness,  called  foi'th  an  immediate  return  of  gratitude 
and  praise  from  this  holy  family.  Nor  was  the  tribute 
of  grateful  tlianksgivmg  confined  to  those  who  lived 
in  Tobias's  house;  their  kinsman  and  acquaintance  join- 
ed their  hearts  and  voices  in  proclaiming  the  w^onders 
of  God's  mercy,  pouring  forth  the  sentiments  of  hearts, 
inflamed  with  tiiat  true  charity  wiiich  both  "weeps 
with  those  who  weep,  and  rejoices  with  those  who- 
rejoice."  The  Old  Testament,  which  is  the  history 
of  the  patriarchal  and  the  Jewish  Church,  is  one  con- 


314  lAVENTY-SECOND  HOMILY  ON 

tinued  displriy  of  Hits  most  astonisliing  miracles.  Some- 
times we  b'.'iio'd  thi  Do'ity  stretching  out  his  omnipo- 
tent arm  foi'  the  proleciioij  or  su;)port  of  his  whole 
people;  at  otiier  times,  exerting  his  om;ii[)otcnce  in  fa- 
vour of  soiiie  more  chosen  individual,  disiinguished 
foi  his  virtue.  In  every  page  we  discover  that  parti- 
cular providence,  which,  even  in  this  life,  marks  out 
the  just  as  (lie  objects  of  God's  tender  affection,  and 
desig.iates  the  wiciced  as  tfie  victims  of  God's  indig- 
nation. At  one  time  we  behold  his  whole  people  pas- 
sing i'l  safety  ;!iroug'i  tlie  waters  of  the  sea;  shaded  in 
the  desert  from  t!ie  burning  hpat  of  the  sun  during  the 
day;  ilhiminated,  duriiig  the  night,  with  a  pillar  of  fire: 
fe:}  with  bread  from  heaven;  tiiumphing  over  enemies, 
vv-siose  power  se.emed  invincible,  and  put  in  possession 
of  a  land  which  th:?  arin  of  the  Almighty  had  cleared 
of  its  original  inhabitants,  whose  numbers  and  whose 
strength  had  struck  his  people  with  terror,  and  to  hu- 
man views  ajjpeared  irresistible:  at  other  times  we  be- 
h  )id  A.igfds  d(Ji);ilod  for  the  preservation  of  some  more 
chosen  servant  of  the  most  High;  Lot  snatched  by  their 
ministry  fro:n  i!u;  flames  of  Sodo  n;  Abraham  receiv- 
ing by  the  same  means  tlie  promise  of  a  son;  Elias 
caught  up  in  a  charriot  of  fire;  Daniel  seated  unhurt 
and  U'ldauiited  amidst  hungry  lions;  and  Tobias  mira- 
cuously  restored  to  siiiht. 

In  the  iS'ew  Tes'ament,  th.i  Son  of  God  is  held  out 
to  us  during  the  course  of  his  public  life,  as  constantly 
exerting  his  infinite  power  in  miraculously  conferring 
bCiiefits  u;)on  mankind,  lie,  who  was  'fruth  itself, 
declared  that,  astonishing  as  these  miracles  seemed  to 
the  crowds  wlio  witnessed  them,  bis  followers  should 
be  enabled  to  work  wonders  that  should  far  surpass 
thein.  The  history  of  the  Catholic  Church  attests  the 
fulfilment  of  this  declaration  of  her  Founder,  not  only 
in  the  period  of  her  first  establishment  and  primitive 
fervour,  but  in  every  age,  even  to  our  times,  'i  he  ad- 
versaries of  our  holy  faith  deny  this  historical  truth, 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  215 

but  upon  grounds  so  contradiclory  as  to  destroy  their 
own  testimony.     Not  a  single  argument  can  be  b^ouglit 
by  them  againsl  the  autlientic  mirachs  recorded  to 
have  been  wrought  by  the  Saints  of  God  in  each  cen- 
tury, that  would  not  equally  invalidate  the  miracles 
related  in  the  gospel.     Tlieir  own  religious  systems, 
the  mere    inventioiis   of  men,  can  bring  no  proof  oi' 
miraculous  interpositions  of  divine  Providrncc  in  their 
favour,  because  lie  who  alone  can  suspend  'he  laws 
of  nature,  being  Truth  itself,  will  not  exert  his  omni- 
potence in  contiadiction  to  himself,  or  in  confirmation 
of  error.     But  in  vain  do  they  attempt  to  strip  the  true 
spouse  of  Christ,  the  Catholic  Church,  of  the  splendid 
hght  of  miracles,  with  which  her  divine  Founder  has 
invested  her,  and  which  is  sutBcient  to  discover  her  to 
all  who  sincerely  seek  her,  and  who  are  not  afraid  of 
coming   to  the  light.     The  arm  of  the   Teity  is  not 
shortf-ned;   but   amidst  all  the  storms  that  assail  his 
Church,  and  the  darkness  with  which  her  enemies  at- 
tempt to  hide  her,  God  still   miraculously   preserves 
her,  enliglitens  her,  and,  by  the  miracles  with  which 
he  honours  some  of  her  illustrious  numbers,  declaies 
her  to  be  the  work  of  his  omnipotence,  his  i'avoured 
spouse,  his  chosen  inheritance.     Oh!  that  with  a  heart, 
like  that  of  the  good  Tobias,  grateful  for  tlie  divine 
goodness  which  has  mercifully  enlightened  our  spirit- 
ual blindness,  and  made  the  light  of  his  true  faith  to 
shine  upon  us,  we  may  daily  pay  him  the  homage  of 
our  thanksgiving,  and  by  holiness  of  life  en(!eavour  to 
make  our  neighbours  partakers  of  our  light  and  joy, 
that  they  also  may  glorify  God  in  the  day  of  visita- 
tion!— Tobias,  full  of  joy  at  the  recovery  of  his  sight, 
praised  God  even  for  his  past  blindness,  which  he  con- 
sidered as  sent  him  for  the  purification  of  his  soul,  and 
tiie  perfection  of  h.is  virtue.     His  joy,  for  the  blessings 
coiifeired  on  himself  and  his  son,  received  its  accom- 
plishment in  the  safe  arrival  of  his  daughter-in-law, 
and  her  servants  ar.d  possessions. 


216  TWENTY-SECOND  HOMILY  ON 

Ver.  18  And  afler  seven  days,  Sarah  his  son's  wife,  and  all  thp 
family  arrivi-d  safe,  aiul  the  catUe  and  the  camels,  and  an 
abundance  of  money  of  his  wife's;  and  that  money  also  which 

he  had  lecciveil  IVom  Gabelus -l!i.  And  he  told  his  parents 

all  the  benefits  of  God,  whicii  i)e  had  done  to  him  by  the  man 
that  condiicited  iiini 20.  And  Achoir  and  Nabath,  the  kins- 
men of  Tobias,  came  rejoicing  for  Tobias,  and  congratulating 

with  him,  for  all  the  good  things  that  God  had  done  for  him 

21.  And  for  seven  days  they  feasted  and  rejoiced  all  with  great 

joy- 
In  prosperity  as  well  as  in  adversity,  the  Saints  of 
God  look  to  the  hand  of  Providence  as  the  cause  of 
whatever  befalls  them.  Their  joy  and  their  afllictions 
are  like  sanctilied  by  the  dispositions  of  a  heart  ever 
sensible  of  the  divine  i^oodness,  and  ever  ready  to  em- 
brace all  the  appointments  of  heaven.  Tobias,  at  the 
safe  arrival  of  his  daughter-in-law,  renewed  his  thanks- 
giving to  the  Author  of  all  good,  and  invited  his  kins- 
men, with  whose  piety  he  was  acquainted  to  unite 
with  him  in  grateful  acknowledgment  to  God.  During 
seven  days  he  outwardly  expressed  his  joy  and  grati- 
tude in  entertaining  his  fiiends;  but  his  soul  continued 
her  unceasing  homage  of  daily  acts  of  gratitude  during 
his  mortal  lile,  faithfully  fulfilling  on  earth  that  happy 
occupation  which  will  Ibrm  its  eternal  employment 
and  deliarht  in  the  mansions  of  the  blessed. 


THE  BOOK.  OF  TOBIAS.  217 


TWSNTY-THIIID  HOMILY- 

rhar,  XII  ver.  1.  Then  Tobias  called  to  him  his  son    and  said  to 
hhn:  What  can  we  give  this  holy  man  ihal  is  come  with  thee?.... 

S.  Tobias  ans.verint  said  to  his  f.ther:   Fath'^^v^- hat  wages 
ohall  we  s^ive  him?  or  what  can  be  worliiy  ot  his  benehis?....... 

3  He  conducted  me,  and  brought  me  sale  again-,  he  received 
the  money  of  Gabelus;  he  caused  me  to  have  my  wife,  and  he 
chased  from  her  the  evil  spirit;  he  gave  joy  to  her  Pa'-e"ts;  my- 
self he  delivered  from  being  devoured  by  the  «*''■  ^-'^  ^  ^°  h« 
hath  made  to  see  the  light  of  heaven,  and  we  are  hlled  w.lh  a 
good  thin^s  through  h.m.  What  can  we  gne  hun  sufbcent 
for  the  e  rhinos?..!.  4.  But  1  beseech  thee,  my  father,  to  desire 
Jim  that  he  would  vouchsafe  to  acceptof  one  half  of  alltlungs 
Zt  have  been  brought 5.  So  the  father  and  the  son,  cal- 
ling him,  look  him  aside;  and  began  to  desire  h.m  that  he  would 
vouchsafe  to  accept  of  half  of  all  things  that  they  had  brought. 

The  elder  Tobias,  on  the  return  of  his  son,  and  the 
recoverv  of  his  sight,  made  it  the  first  object  of  his 
care  toexuresshis  grateful  sense  of  the  mercy  ol  God 
bv  fervent  thanksgiving.  He  invited  his  relations  and 
friends  to  unite  with  him  in  the  same  holy  exercise. 
Havin-  fulfilled  this  obligation,  hi^  mmd  could  not  rest 
withoiU  making  a  proper  acknowledgment  to  the  faith- 
ful ffuide,  tow  hom,  under  God,  himself  and  his  son 
wer?  ind.",bte.d  for  so  many  blessings.  He  therefore 
calls  his  son  to  open  to  him  his  own  seniiments  and 
as  his  son  was  best  acquainted  with  what  would  be 
ao-reeable  to  his  guide,  to  consult  with  him  as  to  the 
mlinner  in  wliich  they  should  recompense  his  serv-ices. 
No  one  can  read  the  conversation  which  ))assed  be- 
tween this  holy  father  and  son  on  this  occasion,  with- 
out bein-  struck  with  admiration  at  the  sublime  and 
amiable^entiments  of  gratitude  that  dwelt  in  their 
breasts  The  young  Tobias,  in  particular,  seems  to 
want  words  to  express  his  feelings,  while  he  recounts 
the  benefits  which  himself,  his  father,  his  wife,  and 
her  parents  had  received  from  the  faithful  Azarias. 
19 


818  TWENTY-THIRD  HOMILY  ON 

Both  these  holy  men,  the  elder  and  the  younger  Tobi- 
as, seem  at  a  loss  to  find  out  a  proper  reward  for  the 
services  of  this  trusty  guide.  They  confess  that  it  is 
out  of  their  power  to  make  him  an  acknowledgment 
proportioned  to  his  kindness.  At  last  they  send  for  Aza- 
rias,  and  willi  heartfelt  pleasure  make  him  an  offer 
of  the  one-half  of  their  substance,  as  the  best  proof 
of  gratitude  their  circumstances  will  afford. 

Ver.  6  Then  the  Angel  said  to  them  secretly:  Bless  ye  Ihe  Gud 
of  heaven,  give  glory  lo  him  in  the  siglit  of  all  llial  live,  be- 
cause he  hath  shewed  his  mercy  to  yon  7.  For  it  is  good  to 

hide  the  secret  of  a  king;  but  honourable  to  reveal  and  confess 

the  works  uf  God 8.  Prayer  is  good  with  fasting  and  alms, 

more  than  to  lay  up  treasures  of  gold 9.  For  alms  deliver- 

elh  from  death,  and  the  same  is  that  which  purgelh  from  siiis, 

and  maketh  to  find  mercy  and  life  everlasting 10  But  they 

that  commit  sin  and  iniquity,  aie  enemies  to  their  own  soul. 

The  time  was  now  come  when  the  veil  with  which 
Providence  had  concealed  its  ways  from  its  servants 
was  to  be  drawn  aside,  and  the  Angel  who  had  been 
sent  for  th.eir  comfoit  and  protection  was  to  discover 
himself  to  them.  To  the  kind  offer  which  Tobias  and 
his  son  had  made  of  the  one  half  of  their  substance, 
the  angel  Raphael  replies:  Bless  the  God  of  heaven, 
and  praise  him  before  mankind,  for  if  is  to  his  mercy, 
and  not  to  me,  that  you  are  indebted  for  llie  blessings 
which  you  have  received,  i  he  Angel,  before  he  un- 
folds to  them  the  secret  of  God's  providence  towards 
ihem,  makes  them  remark  the  difference  between  the 
ways  of  God  and  those  of  earthly  sovereigns.  The 
success  of  the  counsels  of  an  earthly  prince,  depends 
much  upon  tlie  fidelity  of  his  ministers  in  keeping  his 
plans  a  profound  secret;  his  enemies,  by  discovering 
those  plans,  might  prevent  their  being  put  in  execution: 
but  no  power,  either  in  earth  or  hell,  can  frustrate  the 
designs  of  God,  or  hinder  their  effect.  For  his  coun- 
sels there  is  no  need  of  secrecy:  but,  on  the  cojitrary, 
it  is  a  part  of  the  zeal  and  gratitude  which  are  due 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  219 

from  his  servants,  to  publish  to  others  the  wonders  of 
his  providence,  and  proclaim  to  the  world  the  miracles 
of  his  goodness  and  power,  that  mankind  may  glorify 
him,  may  learn  to  put  tin-ir  trust  in  hiv.,  and,  by  a 
faithful  observance  of  his  law,  may  merit  his  protec- 
tion. 

The  Angel  tlien  confirms  Tobias  and  his  son  in  the 
faith  of  certain  important  truths  with  which  they  were 
before  well  acquainted,  and  by  which  they  had  regu- 
lated their  lives.  Prayer,  says  he,  is  gooil,  when  ac- 
companied with  fasting  and  ahnsdeeds.  No  earthly 
riches  are  worthy  to  be  compared  to  the  eternal  trea- 
sures which  the  |)racticeof  these  virtues  brings  with 
it  to  the  soul.  If  each  one  of  these  excellent  works 
is  attended  with  blessings  from  heaven,  how  powerful- 
ly must  their  united  eflicacy  tend  to  disarm  God's  in- 
dignation, to  open  the  door  of  his  mercy,  and  obtain 
admission  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven!  These  are 
points,  however,  upon  which  I  have,  in  my  former  in- 
structions, detailed  to  you  at  length  tlie  maxmas,  of 
the  divine  word.  The  A\igel  adds:  "they  that  commit 
sin  and  iniquity  are  enemies  to  their  own  soul."  The 
royal  Prophet,  in  the  10th  Psalm,  delivers  the  same 
sentiment:  "he  that,  loveth  iniquity,  hateth  his  own 
soul."  As  sin  brings  death  to  the  soul,  by  robbing  it 
of  its  spiritual  life,  the  grace  of  God;  he  who  wilfully 
commits  sin,  is  the  enemy  and  the  murderer  of  his 
own  soul.  How  frightful  is  the  truth  which  the  holy 
Scripture  delivers  in  these  few  words!  Who  can 
think  of  it  without  horror!  The  wilful  sinner  is  guil- 
ty of  a  crime  which  in  the  language  of  the  Holy  Spir- 
it, is  a  murder,  a  murder  of  the  worst  kind,  a  murder 
by  which  the  sinner  inflicts  upon  himself  a  far  more 
deadly  wound  than  any  which  could  be  given  him  by 
the  hand  that  should  aim  a  blow  for  the  destruction  of 
the  life  of  his  body.  Oh!  that  these  words  may  ever 
be  deeply  impressed  upon  your  minds,  my  beloved 
brethren:  "tliose  who  commit  iniquity  are  enemies  to 
their  own  soul" 


220  TWENTY-THIRD  HOMILY  ON 

The  Angel  Raphael  then  tiiscovers  himself  in  the 
following  terms: 

Ver.  11.  I  discover  then  the  truth  unto  you,  and  I  will  not  hide 

the  secret  from  you 12.   When   thou  didst  pray  wilh  tears, 

and  didst  bury  liie  dead,  and  didst  leave  thy  dinner,  and  hide 
the  dead  by  day  in  thy  house,  and  bury  thcni  by  night,  I  offered 
thy  prayer  to  the  Lord 13.  And  because  tiiou  wast  accepta- 
ble   to  God,   it  was  necessary  that  temptation   should    prove 

thee 14.   And  now  the  Lord  hath  sent  me  to  heal  Ihce,  and 

to  deliver  Sarah  thy  son's  wife  from  the  de\il 15.  I  am 

the  angel  Raphael,  one  of  the  seven  who  stand  before  the  Lord. 

The  Catliolic  Cluirch  has,  in  every  age,  inculcated 
to  her  children  the  docfrine  which  is  here  deliveied  to 
the  holy  Tobias  by  an  Angel  from  heaven,  which  was 
confirmed  by  the  Son  of  God,  and  is  expressly  men- 
tioned in  the  creed  taught  by  his  inspired  Apostles, 
the  doctrine  of  the  Communion  of  Saints.  While  the 
Catholic  Church  teaches  us,  tliat  the  God  who  created 
the  universe,  and  who  rults  a^d  governs  tlie  world 
which  he  has  created,  is  the  only  object  of  adoration; 
while  she  faithfully  calls  upon  her  children  to  pay  to 
the  Supreme  Being  alone,  the  homage  of  their  faith, 
hope,  charity,  and  religious  worship;  she  instructs  us 
to  honour  and  respect  the  happy  spirits,  whom  God 
himself  has  honoured  by  making  them  partakeisof  his 
own  glory,  and  to  look  to  them  as  our  friends  at  the 
throne  of  divine  giace,  wh.o  are  continually  exerting 
their  kind  and  poweiful  influence  for  us,  by  prayer 
and  intercession.  This  doctrine  of  the  Catlsolic  Church 
is  confirmed  both  by  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  in 
a  variety  of  passages.  What  can  be  a  clearer  proof 
of  this  holy  commuriion  which  we  enjoy  with  the  citi- 
zens of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  than  the  assurance 
of  the  angel  Raphael  to  Tobias:  "\Nhen  thou  didst 
pray  with  tears,  1  ottered  thy  prayer  to  the  Lord."  Yes, 
th&se  holy  Spirits,  who  behold  their  God  face  to 
face,  and  taste  (hose  joys  wiiich  flow  from  the  pre- 
sence  of  his  majesty,  compassionate  our  weakness; 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  221 

and  knowing  the  maiice  of  our  spiritual  enemies,  and 
the  dangers  which  surround  us,  advocate  our  cause  by 
their  prayers,  and  supplicate  for  mercy  in  our  behalf, 
through  the  merits  of  our  divine  Redeemer.  In  the 
New  Testament,  St.  John,  in  the  book  of  Revelations, 
tells  us,  that  he  saw  "an  Angel  who  stood  before  the 
alter,  having  a  golden  censei;  and  there  was  given  to 
him  much  incense,  that  he  should  offer  of  the  prayers 
of  all  the  Saints,  upon  the  golden  altar  which  is  before 
the  throne  of  God.  And  the  smoke  of  the  incense  of 
the  prayers  of  the  Saints  ascended  up  before  God 
from  the  hand  of  the  Angel."  Rev.  viii.  3,  4.  It  is  a 
truth  then,  attested  by  the  divine  word,  both  in  the 
Old  and  New  Testament,  that  the  Angels  present  to 
God  the  prayers  of  the  faithful:  not  that  we  are  to  sup- 
pose that  the  Deity  stands  in  need  of  their  ministry  to 
know  our  wants  or  petitions:  but  we  believe  that  those 
holy  Spirits,  united  to  us  by  the  bonds  of  charity,  ar- 
dently desire  our  salvation,  and  joining  their  prayers 
to  ours,  aid  us  in  obtaining  from  God's  mercy  the  suc- 
cours necessary  for  securing  our  eternal  happiness. 
Faithfully  adhering  then  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Church, 
and  guided  by  her  spirit,  let  us  ever  lookup  with  con- 
fidence to  the  assistance  of  those  Iricnds  of  the  Most 
High,  who  are  now  reigning  with  him;  let  us  cultivate 
on  earth  that  holy  friendship  with  them,  which  Will 
subsist  hereafter  throughout  eternity  in  heaven;  let  us 
imitate  their  fidelity  to  God,  by  a  diligent  observance 
of  the  divine  commandments,  and  we  shall  both  enjoy 
the  benefit  of  this  holy  communion  upon  earth,  and 
reap  the  fruits  of  it  in  their  happy  society  in  the  world 
to  come.  The  same  holy  Scripture,  which  represent 
the  Angels  as  so  solicitous  for  our  spiritual  welfare 
and  so  powerfully  aiding  us  by  their  prayers,  repre- 
sents them  as  frequently  employed  in  performing  offi- 
ces of  charity  for  the  temporal  benefit  of  God's  ser- 
vants. Thus  the  angel  Raphael  says,  that  he  was 
sent  by  God  to  deliver  Sarah  from  the  power  of  the 
19* 


822^  TWENTY-THIRD  HOMILY   ON 

devil,  and  to  cure  the  blindness  with    which  divine 
Providence  had  afflicted  Tobias.     This  trial,  in  the 
order  of  God's  providence,  was  necessary  for  the  per- 
fection of  Tobias's  virtue.     "Because  thou  wast  agree- 
able to  God,  it  was  necessary  that  temptation  should 
prove  thee."     Without  the  knowledge  of  this  truth, 
that  afflictions  are  necessary  for  the  just,  the  conduct 
of  Almighty  God  towards  his  servants  must  be  an  in- 
explicable mystery.     It  is  not  through  a  life  of  ease, 
of  pleasure,  and  enjoyment,  that  the  Saints  are  to  ar- 
rive at  eternal  bliss.     What  Jesus  Christ,  the  Saint  of 
Saints,  has  said  cf  himself,  is  applicable  to  all  his  faith- 
ful servants:  "It  was  necessary  that  the  Christ  should 
suffer,  and  so  should  enter  into  his  glory."     Luke  xxiv. 
26.     All  those,  therefore,  who  are  mystically  united 
to  the  body  of  Christ,  as  members  to  their  head,  must, 
if  they  hope  to  share  in  his  glory,  be  partakers  of  his 
sufferings.     This  truth  is  evident  from  the  lives  of  all 
the  eminent  servants  of  God,  both  in  the  Old  and  the 
New  Law.     Abraham,  Joseph,  David,  St.  John  Bab- 
tist,  the  blessed  Virgin,  St.  Paul,  and  his  fellow  Apos- 
tles, closely  resembled  Jesus  Christ  in  his  sufferings; 
and  by  their  sutl'erings  became  entitled  to  a  participa- 
tion of  his  glory.  Atfiictions  then,  so  far  from  dejecting 
us,  ought  to  fill  us  with  hope  and  consolation;  they  are 
one  of  the   marks  of  those   who  are  predestined  to 
eternal  life.     If  we  are  free  from  trial  and  persecution, 
we  have  reason  to  tremble  for  our  eternal  lot,  because 
we  resemble  not  Jesus  Christ  and  his  Saints.     But,  if 
we  feel  the  heavy  scourge  of  affliction,  we  have  reason 
to  rejoice  and  to  hope.     Let  us  then  make  it  our  daily 
prayer,  not  to  be  dispensed  from  suffering,  but  that  un- 
der our  sufferings  we  may  imitate  the  servants  of  God 
in  their  fidelity,  and  that  the  divine  will  may  be  ever 
accomplished  in  us. 

The  Angel  having  explained  to  Tobias  the  designs 
of  God's  providence  in  sending  him  to  the  assistance 
of  himself  and  his  family,  declares  his  name  and  his 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  223 

holy  office:  "I  am  the  angel  Raphael,  one  of  the  seven 
who  stand  before  the  Lord."  The  prophet  Daniel  re- 
presents the  majesty  of  God  as  seated  on  a  throne  of 
fire,  surrounded  by  millions  of  blessed  Spirits,  who 
continually  stand  in  the  presence  of  their  God.  But 
St.  John,  in  the  Revelations,  chap.  i.  ver.  4.  points 
out  among  the  heavenly  host,  seven  Spirits,  who  stand 
before  the  throne,  the  leaders  of  the  celestial  army, 
the  most  perfect  and  the  most  holy  of  those  blessed 
Spirits  whom  God  employs  for  the  accomplishment  of 
his  greatest  and  most  important  designs.  One  of  these 
seven  the  angel  Raphael  declares  himself  to  be;  and 
the  very  mention  of  his  name  and  dignity  fills  Tobias 
and  his  family  with  fear  and  trembling. 

Ver.  16.     And  when  they  had  heard  these  things,  they  were  trou- 
bled; L.nd  being  seized  with  fear,  they  fell  upon  tlie  ground  on 

their  face 17.  And  the  Angel  said  to  them:  Peace  be  to  you, 

fear  not 18.  For  when  I  was  with  you,  I  was  there  by  the 

will  of  God:  bless  yc  liim,  and   sing  praises  to  him 19.  I 

seemed  indied  to  eat  and  to  drink  with  you;  but  I  use  an  invisi- 
ble  meat  and  drink,  which  cannot  be  seen  by  men 20.  It 

is  time,  therefore,  that  I  return  to  him  that  sent  me:  but  bless 
ye  God,  and  publish  all  his  wonderful  works. 

We  are  taught  by  our  divine  Redeemer  in  the 
Lords'  prayer,  to  petition  that  we  may  imitate  the 
blessed  Spirits  in  the  readiness  and  cheerfulness  with 
which  they  execute  the  will  of  God.  The  angel  Ra- 
phael, in  recalling  to  Tobias's  memory  the  wonders 
which  God  had  wrought  for  him  and  his  family,  gives 
the  glory  of  all  the  favours,  of  which  he  himself  had 
been  the  instrument,  to  the  sovereign  Author  of  all 
good.  He  consoles  them;  he  bids  them  banish  their 
fears,  and  think  only  of  the  obligation  under  which 
they  are,  of  returning  their  heartfelt  praise  and  thanks- 
giving to  the  divine  bounty. 

"I  seemed,"  says  the  Angel,  "to  eat  and  to  drink 
with  you;  but  I  use  an  invisible  meat  which  cannot  be 
seen  by  men."     We  are  not  to  understand  from  these 


224  TWENTY-THIRD  HOMILY  ON 

words,  that  the  angel  Raphael  practised  any  deception, 
and  did  not  eat  and  drink  in  reality.  St.  Augustine 
teaches,  that  the  Angels  ulio  appeared  to  the  servants 
of  God  under  a  human  shape,  eat  and  drank  in  the 
same  manner  as  men,  but  not  through  any  necessity. 
"The  bodies  of  ihe  just,"  continues  this  holy  father, 
"after  the  general  resurrection,  being  no  longer  suscep- 
tible of  hunger  or  thirst,  will  not  stand  in  need  of  cor- 
poral food.  Clothed  with  a  glorious  immortality,  they 
will  retain  the  power,  but  not  the  necessity  of  eating 
or  drinking."  In  like  manner,  the  holy  Angels  are  re- 
corded in  Scri|)ture  to  have  eaten  and  drank  with  the 
servants  of  God;  not  that  tliere  was  any  necessity  for 
their  so  doing,  but  they  complied  with  these  outward 
natural  functions  of  men,  to  humanize  themselves,  and 
to  resemble  more  closely  those  for  wliose  service  they 
were  sent.  But  while  they  were  thus  employed  upon 
earth  in  fulfilling  the  designs  for  which  God  had  sent 
them,  they  ceased  not  to  enjoy  the  beatific  vision  of 
their  God,  and  the  happiness  of  the  heavenly  Jerusa- 
lem. There,  satiated  with  a  spiritual  and  immortal 
food,  with  which  He  who  is  the  eternal  truth,  infinite 
liglit,  and  immortal  wisdom,  fills  and  supports  their 
being,  they  look  down  with  compassion  upon  us  in  this 
world  of  misery  and  sin,  they  succour  us  by  their 
powerful  aid,  and  rejoice  to  be  the  instruments  of  di- 
vine Providence  in  furnishing  us  willi  those  lielps  that 
"will  enable  us  to  walk  faithfully  on  in  the  path  that 
will  conduct  us  to  a  happy  and  eternal  union  with  them." 
"I  was  with  you,"  said  Raphael,  "by  the  order  of  God:" 
but  even  then  he  enjoyed  the  sight  of  God,  and  this 
was  the  invisible  meat  which  nourished  him. 

Ver.  21.  And  when  he  had  said  these  things,  he  was  taken  from 

their  sigfit,  and  they  could  see  him  no  more 22.  Then  they, 

fying  prostrate  for  three  hours  upon  their  face,  blessed  God, 
and  vising  up,  they  told  all  his  wonderful  works. 

Having  accomplished  the   important   objects    for 
which  he  had  been  deputed  by  divine  Providence,  the 


THE  BOOK  OF    TOBIAS.  225 

angel  Raphael  disappeared  from  the  earth.  Tobias 
and  his  fatuily,  full  of  admiration  and  gratitude  for  the 
favours  conferred  by  his  ministry,  fell  prostrate  on  the 
ground,  and  in  silent  adoration,  for  three  hours,  pour- 
ed forth  ilie  fervent  homage  of  the  heart  to  liiat  all- 
bountiful  Being-  who  had  vouchsafed  to  send  one  of  the 
princes  of  liis  heavenly  court  to  (lis[)ense  to  them  the 
treasures  of  his  mercy.  After  this  silent  and  humble 
thanksgiving,  ihey  rose  up,  not  to  give  their  minds  to 
earthly  enjoyments,  but  to  publish  to  their  neighbours 
the  vvondeis  of  God^s  goodness,  and  to  manifest  to  the 
world  their  grateful  sense  of  his  mercy.  Let  the  like 
pious  exticise  form  the  delight  and  occupation  of  your 
hearts  and  voices,  my  beloved  brelhi-en,  when,  having 
approached  to  the  holy  communion,  you  have  received 
the  choicest  blessing  of  heaven,  not  by  the  ministry 
of  an  Angel,  but  by  the  visit  of  Him  who  is  the  joy 
of  Angels,  Jesus  Christ,  jour  Redeemer,  and  your 
God, 


21^6  TVVE^TY-FOURTH   HOMILY    ON 


TWINTY  FOURTH  HO^ail^Y 

Chap.  Xlll.  ver.   1.     And  Tobias  the  elder  opcrsiiig  liis    mouth, 
blessed  the   Lord,  and  said:  Thou  art  great,  0  Lord,  for  ever, 

and  thy  kin:;dJiTi  is  unto  all  ages: 2    For  thou  scourgest  and 

thou  savesl;  thou  leadest  down  to  hell,  and  bringest  up  again: 
and  there  is  none  that  can  escape  thy  hand. 

The  faithful  servant  of  God,  Tobias,  during  the 
three  hours  in  which  lie  lay  prostrate  on  the  ground  in 
silent  adoration,  gave  up  his  soul  to  the  emotions  of 
gratitude  and  love,  listening  with  awe  and  reverence 
to  the  interior  language  of  God's  holy  Spirit  within 
him.  At  length,  no  longer  able  to  restrain  the  flame 
that  was  enkindled  in  his  breast  by  the  communications 
of  the  holy  Spirit,  and  transported  with  admiration  at 
the  goodness  of  God  towards  his  own  family,  and  the 
wonders  of  his  mercy  reserved  for  future  ages,  Tobias 
breaks  forth  in  that  admirable  song,  or  canticle,  which 
the  holy  Scripture  records  in  the  13th  cliapter  of  his 
history,  and  which  is  one  of  the  most  sublime  and 
beautiful  passages  of  holy  writ.  The  first  part  of  it 
is  a  solemn  act  of  tlianksgiving,  in  which  this  virtuous 
servant  of  God  invites  all  the  children  of  Israel  to 
unite  with  them*,  the  second  part  is  a  prophecy,  in 
which,  under  the  figurative  name  of  Jerusalem,  To- 
bias, by  the  direction  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  foresees  and 
foretells  the  glory  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  both  on 
earth  and  in  her  future  triumphant  state  in  heaven. 

'•Thou  art  great  i'or  ever,  O  Lord,"  cries  out  the 
holy  Tobias,  "and  thy  kingdom  is  unto  all  ages." 

The  thought  of  the  infinite  majesty  of  that  God, 
who  had  shewn  him  so  many  and  such  extraordinary 
favours,  fills  his  mind.  He  is  overwhelmed  with  sen- 
timents of  humility,  when  he  considers  that  the  eternal 
and  incomprehensible  Deity  should  have  deigned  to 
stoop  down  to  him  from  the  throne  of  his  mercy,  and 


'■  THE  BOOK   OF   TOBIAS.  227 

to  send  one  of  liis  Angels  to  visit  him,  and  confer 
blessings  upon  liim.  V\  hat,  nr.y  beloved  brethren, 
would  be  the  sentiments  of  a  poor  beggar,  who 
should  see  himself  nolieed  by  an  earthly  prinee,  treat- 
ed by  him  with  kindness  and  attention,  relieved  in  all 
his  wants,  and  provided  with  every  aid  and  comfort  in 
time  of  sickness  and  distress!  Would  he  not  want 
words  to  express  his  grateful  sense  of  the  kindness  of 
his  princely  benefactoi?  Yet,  this  benefactor,  though 
a  prince,  and  great  in  power  and  in  earthly  riches,  is, 
like  the  beggar  wliom  he  so  generously  relieves,  alrail 
mortal,  who  must  one  day  resign  his  possessions,  and 
moulder  in  the  dust.  His  greatness  has  it^  bounds,  and 
his  power  is  limited  to  the  duration  o\'  a  few  years. 
But  thy  greatness,  O  God,  cries  out  the  faithful  To- 
bias, is  infinite,  t!iy  power  is  without  bounds,  thy  em- 
pire is.  universal,  thy  dominion  endures  for  ever.  The 
lapse  of  ages,  and  the  revolutions  of  time,  can  neither 
lessen  thy  power,  nor  shorten  its  duintion.  "What 
then  is  man,  O  Lord,  that  thou  shouldst  be  mindful  of 
him,  or  the  son  of  man,  that  thou  shouldst  visit  him?" 
Ps.  viii.  Oh!  that  such  sentiments  as  these  may  have 
their  due  influence  upon  our  breasts,  when  we  taste  of 
the  bounty  of  this  great  and  beneficient  God,  more 
especially  when  we  partake  of  the  choicest  of  his 
favours,  by  receiving  him  in  the  holy  communion! 

"Thou  scourgest  and  thou  savest;  thou  leadest  down 
to  hell,  and  bringest  up  again;  and  there  is  none  that 
can  escape  thy  hand." 

God,  the  sovereign  Lord  and  ruler  of  the  universe, 
exercises  his  power  with  mercy  and  with  justice;  he 
is  omnipotent,  both  to  save  and  to  punish.  In  vain  shall 
the  sinner  fly  from  his  face;  in  vain  shall  he  attempt  to 
screen  himself  from  the  anger  of  the  Deity;  God's  in- 
finite vengeance  will  assuredly  overtake  him  and  punish 
him.  The  all-piercing  eye  of  the  Supreme  Being 
penetrates  the  thickest  darkness,  and  searches  the 
deepest  recesses  of  the  heart.    "Shall  a  man  be  hid  in 


228  TWENTY-FOURTH  HOMILY  ON 

secret  places,  and  I  not  see  liim,  saitli  the  Lord."  "Do 
I  not  (ill  the  ji(-avens  a:id  the  earili,  sailh  the  Lord?" 
"Yes,"  cries  out  the  royal  Prophet,  "if  I  ascend  up 
into  heaven,  thou  art  there;  il  I  descend  into  liell,  thou 
are  theix-,  if  I  taUe  \vinijs  in  the  morning,  and  shall 
duell  in  the  uttermost  bounils  of  the  sea,  even  tliither 
thy  hand  shall  l(;ad  me,  and  thy  right-hand  shall  hold 
me."     Psalm  cxlix. 

There  is  no  one  then  that  can  escape  the  hand  of  his 
justice.     As  God  witnesses  the  crimes  of  the  wicked, 
their  violations  of  liis  law,  and  the  insults  which  they 
offer  to  his  adoiable  majesty,  lie  is  present  with  them 
by  his  infinite  justice,  to  take  vengeance  on  their  ini- 
quities.     Though  the  sinner  may  be  seated  on   the 
highest  pinnacle  of  worldly  grandeur,  and  surrounded 
by  a  herd  of  flatterers  who  persuade  him  that  he  may 
indulge  his  passions  without  fear,  as  there  is  no  one 
to  controul  or  [)unish  him,  he  shall  feel  the  severity  of 
God's  justice,  and  neither  rank  r.or  power  shall  save 
him  from   the  hand  of  God's  indignation.      But  this 
God,  who  is  iluis  present  with  smners  by  bis  infinite 
justice,  watches  over  his  servants  by  the  presence  of 
his  infinite  mercy,  and  the  arm  of  his  unbounded  good- 
ness is  ever  held  out  for  their  protection.     Sometimes 
he  leads  to  the  very  brink  of  the  grave,  which  is  what 
is  here  meant  by  the  word  hell,  that  he  may  display 
the  magnificence  of  his  power  and  goodness  in  the 
deliverance  of  his  servants.     He  permits  Isaac  to  be 
bound  and  stretched  out  as  a  victim  for  sacrifice,  and 
in  an  insiant  diveits  the  blow  that  is  about  to  deprive 
him  of  life.    Me  suffers  the  innocent  Joseph  to  be  con- 
fined in  a  dungeon  w  ith  criminals,  and  on  a  sudden 
elevates  him  to  the  highest  dignity  in  Egypt.    He  per- 
mits  the   three  children,  his  faithful  adorers,  to  be 
thrown  into  a  furnace  of  fire,  and   preserves  them  in 
health    and   safety.     Tobias   himself  he  afflicts  with 
poverty  and  blindness,  and  on  a  sudden  restores  his 
sight,  and  fills  him  with  his  best  and  choicest  blessings 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  229 

for  time  and  eternity.  Who  then  can  doubt  of  the 
divine  power  or  goodness?  Who  can  want  confidence 
in  the  divine  protection,  though  he  be  placed  in  the 
extremity  of  danger  and  distress?  The  arm  of  his 
mercy  is  not  shortened,  but  is  and  ever  will  be  ready 
to  protect  those  who  faithfully  serve  him.  If  it  is  his 
will  to  deliver  them,  no  creature  can  prevent  his  de- 
signs, or  retard  the  effects  of  his  mercy.  How  con- 
soling is  this  truth  to  the  servants  of  God,  that  they  are 
ever  under  the  eye  of  that  omnipotent  and  all-merciful 
God  whom  they  serve;  who  loves  them  as  the  apple 
of  his  eye,  and  guards  them  in  all  their  ways.  AVhile 
the  wicked,  whose  conscience  reproaches  them  with 
criminal  violations  of  the  law  of  their  God,  tremble 
and  shrink  with  fear  at  the  thought  of  the  presence  of 
the  Deity;  the  just  rejoice  in  this  truth,  and  their  con- 
stant sense  of  it  fills  them  with  consolation  and  with 
hope.  "Let  God  arise,  and  let  his  enemies  be  dis- 
persed; and  let  them  that  hate  him  fife  from  before  his 
face.  As  smoke  vanisheth,  so  let  them  vanish  away: 
as  wax  melteth  before  the  fire,  so  let  the  wicked  perish 
at  the  presence  of  God.  But  let  the  just  feast  and  re- 
joice before  God,  and  be  delighted  with  gladness. 
Rejoice  ye  (just)  before  him:  but  the  wicked  shall  be 
troubled  at  the  presence  of  him,  who  is  the  father  of 
orphans  and  the  judge  of  widows."  Psalm  Ixvii.  I. 
Animated  with  these  holy  truths,  and  impressed  with 
gratitude  for  the  protection  which  he  himself  had  ex- 
perienced from  the  divine  power  and  goodness,  To- 
bias invites  all  the  people  of  God  to  join  him  in  fer- 
vent thanksgiving. 

Ver.  3.  Give  glory  to  the  Lord,  ye  children  of  Israel,  and  praise 
him  in  the  sight  of  the  Gentiles: 4.  Because  he  hath  there- 
fore scattered  you  among  the  Gentiles,  who  know  not  him,  that 
you  may  declare  his  wonderful  works,  and   make  them  know 

that  there  is  no  other  Almighty  God  besides  him 5.  He  hath 

chastised  us  for  our  iniquities;  and  he  will  save  us  for  his  own 

mercy 6.  See  then  what  he  hath  done  with  us  and  with  fear 

and  trembling  give  ye  glory  to  him:  and  extol  the  eternal  King 
of  words  in  your  works. 

20 


230  TWLKTY-FOURTH  HOMILY  ON 

The  children  of  Israel,  to  whom  Tobias  himself  be- 
longed, and  whom  he  here  calls  upon  to  unite  with 
him  in  fervent  thanksgiving  to  the  Deity,  were  the 
chosen  people  of  God.  Selected  by  him  from  among 
the  nations  of  the  earth,  they  had  been  blessed  with 
the  knowledge  of  him  tlie  true  God,  had  received  a 
law  from  his  mouth,  had  been  guided  by  his  hand,  and 
enjoyed  his  divine  favour  and  protection.  But,  un- 
grateful for  the  blessings  by  which  they  were  thus  dis- 
tinguished from  other  nations,  the  Israelites  j)rovok- 
ed  the  anger  of  heaven  by  repeated  crimes  and  rebel- 
lions against  God,  till,  in  punisment  of  their  ingrati- 
tude, they  were  conquered  by  a  foreign  power,  driven 
from  their  country,  and  doomed  to  a  long  and  severe 
captivity  in  a  strange  land,  among  infidels  who  were 
plunged  in  the  grossest  idolatry  and  superstition.  This 
severe  punishment  of  the  ungrateful  Israelites,  was  a 
part  of  the  designs  of  God's  mercy  towards  his  people. 
For  the  scourges  of  God's  justice  are  the  chastise- 
ments of  a  tender  father,  who  studies  the  \velfare  of 
his  children,  and  in  visiting  them  u  ith  aflBiclions,  seeks 
their  true  happiness.  Thus,  the  dispersion  of  tlie  Is- 
raelites among  the  idolatrous  Gentiles,  serves,  in  the 
order  of  divine  providence,  two  great  and  Iniportant 
ends.  First,  it  operated  as  a  seasonable  correction  on 
the  rebellious  Israelites,  made  them  sensible  of  their 
ingratitude,  and  recalled  them  to  a  sense  of  ♦heir  duty. 
Secondly,  the  captivity  of  the  Jewish  people  and  their 
repentance,  served  to  spread  among  the  Gentiles  the 
knowledge  of  the  true  God,  by  making  known  to  them 
the  greatness  of  his  power  and  the  serverity  of  his 
judgments,  and  thus  prepared  them  for  the  blessing 
which  was  afterwards  to  be  poured  out  upon  them  in 
their  vocation  to  the  Christian  Church. 

Entering  into  these  views  of  divine  providence, 
Tobias  considers  himself,  and  his  brethren  in  captivity, 
as  so  many  preachers  sent  to  announce,  to  the  idola- 
trous nations  among  whom  they  lived,  the  knowledge 


'  THE    BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  231 

of  the  true  God.  "Therefore  hath  he  scattered  you 
amoii,^  tlie  Gentiles,  who  know  not  hun,  that  you  may 
declare  his  wonderful  works,  and  make  them  know 
that  there  is  no  other  Almigiity  God  besides  him." 
This  holy  man  exhorts  his  fellow-caj)tives  to  acquit 
themselves  faithfully  of  this  duty,  of  preaching  the 
truth  by  word  and  work;  to  co-operate  with  the  de- 
signs of  God's  mercy  towards  the  idolatrous  nations; 
and,  by  holiness  of  life,  and  an  edifying  conversation, 
to  promote  the  knowledge  and  the  worship  of  the  true 
God.  The  Apostle,  St.  Paul,  gives  tiie  same  advice 
to  us  Christians.  We  live  in  the  midst  of  a  world 
which  calls  itself  Christian,  and  professes  to  know  and 
to  serve  the  true  God;  while  its  maxims  are  in  direct 
opposition  to  the  principles  of  Christianity,  and  the 
lives  of  its  deluded  followers  are  marked  with  the 
same  vices  that  formerly  disgraced  the  heathen  world 
before  the  light  of  Christianity  shone  upon  it.  Look- 
ing upon  ourselves,  therefore,  as  captives  and  exiles  in 
this  world  which  knows  not  God,  we  are  bound,  in 
gratitude  for  the  blessing  of  the  true  faith  and  knowl- 
edge of  our  duty,  to  spread  around  us  the  sweet  odour 
of  Christ,  by  innocence  of  life  and  sanctity  of  manners. 
"Be  ye  blameless  and  sincere  children  of  God,"  says 
St.  Paul  to  the  Phihppians,  "without  reproof  in  the 
midst  of  a  crooked  and  perverse  generation:  among 
whom  you  shine  as  lights  to  the  world."  ii.  15. — St. 
Peter,  admonishing  Christians  to  consider  themselves 
as  strangers  and  pilgrims  in  this  world,  thus  exhorts 
them:  "Let  your  conversation  be  good  among  the 
Gentiles,  that  whereas  they  speak  against  you  as  evil 
doers,  considering  you  by  your  good  works,  they  may 
give  glory  to  God  in  the  day  of  visitation." 

But  the  captivity  of  the  Jews  was  designed  not  only 
for  the  benefit  of  the  Gentiles,  by  diffusing  among  them 
the  knowledge  of  the  true  God;  it  was  to  operate  as  a 
salutary  cori-ection  of  the  stiff-necked  and  rebellious 
Israelites:  "He  hath  chastised  us  for  our  iniquities,  and 


232  TWENTY-FOURTH   HOMILY  ON 

he  will  save  us  for  his  own  mercy."  The  same  truth 
is  applicable  to  every  individual;  the  afflictions  with 
which  God  visits  us,  are  at  the  same  time  the  punish- 
ment of  our  past  iniquities,  and  the  instruments  of 
God's  mercy.  I  he  humble  confession  of  this  truth, 
under  the  trials  which  befall  us,  the  sincere  acknowl- 
edgement of  our  own  unworthiness  in  the  divine  sight, 
and  of  the  justice  of  God's  judgments,  will  disarm  the 
divine  indignation,  and  draw  down  upon  us,  even  in 
the  severest  of  God's  visitations,  his  mercy  and  his 
blessing.  We  behold  the  greatest  of  God's  servants 
animated  by  this  spirit  of  humility,  and  faithfully  fol- 
lowing its  directions  The  prophet  Daniel,  and  the 
holy  Tobias,  though  unconscious  of  any  share  in  those 
grievous  transgressions  by  which  their  people  had 
drawn  upon  themselves  God's  severe  judgments,  yet 
remembering  that  no  one  is  without  fault  in  the  sight 
of  God,  acknowledged  themselves  sinners,  and  in  a 
spirit  of  penance,  cheerfully  submitted  to  the  divine 
appointments.  Let  us  imitate  their  example;  and  under 
every  affliction,  whether  spiritual  or  temporal,  fearful 
lest  we  should  have  contributed  by  our  sins  to  draw 
down  the  wrath  of  God,  let  us  by  our  humble  submis- 
sion to  God's  will,  and  the  sincerity  of  our  repentance, 
improve  the  visitations  of  heaven,  and  make  them  in- 
struments of  mercy  and  salvation.  "See  and  con- 
sider," said  the  holy  Tobias  to  his  countrymen,  "what 
God  hath  done  with  us,  and  with  fear  and  trembling 
give  ye  glory  to  him:  and  extol  the  eternal  King  of 
worlds  in  your  works." 

Ver.  7.     As  for  me,  I  will  praise  him  in  the  land  of  my  captivity; 
because  he  hath  shewed  his  majesty  towards  a  sinful  nation. 

God  my  beloved  brethren,  is  no  less  adorable  in  his 
judgments  than  in  his  mercies.  Whether  he  strikes 
us,  or  heals  us,  he  is  deserving  of  our  praise;  for  all 
he  does  is  designed  to  promote  our  everlasting  good. 
Convinced  of  his  goodness,  let  us  ever,  under  all  his 


Ve 


THE  BOOK  OF   TOBIAS.  233 

-dispeiisatiGns,  pay  him  the  grateful  tribute  of  our 
praise  and  thanksgiving.  Such  was  the  conduct  of 
Tobias;  As  for  me,  says  this  holy  man,  I  will  praise 
God  in  the  land  of  my  captivity;  I  will  kiss  his  adora- 
ble hand  that  strikes  me,  and  I  will  not  cease  to  bless 
him  for  his  mercy  towards  my  sinful  and  ungrateful 
countrymen.  They  have  abandoned  him  to  serve  idols, 
and  have  trampled  his  law  under  their  feet;  but  he  has 
chastised  them,  and  he  has  scourged  them,  that  he 
may  bring  them  to  repentance,  and  may  make  them 
partakers  of  his  mercy. 

r.  8.     Be  converted,  therefore,  ye  sinners,  and  do  justice  before 
God,  believing  that  he  will  shew  his  mercy  to  you. 

Tobias  now  addresses  those  among  his  fellow-cap- 
tives who,  insensible  either  of  the  divine  judgments 
or  mercies,  still  remained  obstinate  in  their  evil  ways, 
and  exhorts  them  to  repentance.  Be  converted,  ye 
sinners;  let  the  judgments  which  have  fallen  upon  you, 
awaken  you;  renounce  your  iniquities;  redeem  your 
past  crimes  by  works  of  justice;  take  the  scourge  of 
repentance  into  your  own  hands;  shew  the  sincerity  of 
your  conversion  by  a  change  of  life  and  conduct;  and 
by  fervent  prayer,  accompanied  with  the  cries  of  a 
truly  contrite  and  humble  heart,  seek  with  confidence 
the  mercy  of  God.  Neither  the  multitude  nor  the 
enormity  of  your  sins  can  exhaust  the  treasures  of  his 
infinite  goodness;  but  his  mercy  will  receive  your  sighs 
of  repentance,  and  your  prayers  will  find  favour  in 
his  sight. 

Ver.  9.     And  I,  and  my  soul,  will  rejoice  in  him 10.  Bless  ye 

the  Lord,  all  his  elect;  keep  days  of  joy,  and  give  glory  to  him. 

After  exhorting;  his  sinful  countrymen  to  repentance, 
the  holy  Tobias  invites  all  the  true  children  of  Israel 
to  unite  with  him  in  praise  and  thanksgiving.  He 
styles  the  true  Israelites,  the  elect  of  God,  because 
they  had  been  in  a  peculiar  manner  chosen  by  God  to 
20* 


234  TWENTY-FOURTH  HOMILY  ON 

be  his  people:  "Ye  shall  be  my  kingdom,  a  kingdom 
of  priests,  a  holy  nation."  Exod.  xix.  5.  But  he  con- 
fines not  his  address  to  the  seed  of  Abraham;  he  ex- 
horts all  sinners,  in  every  age,  to  tremble  at  the  sight 
of  God's  judgments,  and  avert  his  wrath  by  repent- 
ance; and  he  calls  upon  all  the  servants  of  God  through- 
out the  Christian  Church,  in  each  succeeding  genera- 
tion, to  begin  with  him  here  upon  earth  that  homage 
of  praise,  adoration,  and  thanksgiving,  which  will  form 
the  unceasing  occupation  of  the  elect  in  the  kingdom 
of  the  blessed. 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  235 


TUTENTY-PirTH  HOMZI.?. 

Chap.   XIII.  ver.   11.     Jerusalem,  city  of  God,   the   Lord   hath 

chastised  thee  for  the  works  of  thy  hands 12.  Give  glory 

to  the  Lord  for  thy  good  things,  and  bless  the  God  eternal,  that 
he  may  rebuild  his  tabernacle  in  thee,  and  may  call  back  all 
the  captives  to  thee,  and  thou  mayest  rejuice  for  ever  and  ever. 

Tobias,  inspired  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  this  second 
part  of  his  canticle,  or  song  of  thanksgiving,  foretells 
events  which  were  to  happen  in  after  ages.  For  the 
destruction  of  the  city  and  temple  of  Jerusalem,  and 
the  captivity  of  the  Jews,  who  were  transported  to 
Babylon,  did  not  take  place  until  a  hundred  years  after 
this  period  of  Tobias's  history.  Yet  this  holy  man 
speaks  of  those  events  as  if  they  had  already  happen- 
ed, because  the  light  which  the  Holy  Spirit  communi- 
cated to  him,  rendered  them  present  to  his  mind  and 
clear  to  his  sight  The  same  circumstance  is  remark- 
able in  all  the  prophets.  Isaias  and  Jeremy,  ages  be- 
fore the  birth  of  the  promised  Saviour,  described  the 
principal  circumstances  of  his  life  and  death,  with  the 
same  clearness  and  precision,  as  if  they  had  been  re- 
cording events  of  past  history.  This  foreknowledge 
of  future  events,  which  God  discloses  on  some  occa- 
sions to  his  chosen  servants,  is  one  of  the  marks  of 
his  divine  interposition,  and  one  of  the  extraordinary 
means  by  which  he  makes  known  his  truths,  and  mani- 
fests his  chosen  delegates  to  the  world. 

Tobias,  in  the  prophetic  vision  with  which  he  was 
favoured  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  foresaw  that  the  tribes 
of  Judah  and  Benjamin,  which  still  remained  in  their 
native  country,  would,  like  their  brethren  of  the  other 
ten  tribes,  experience  the  vengeance  of  God  in  a  long 
banishment  from  Judaea.  Unawed  by  a  fear  of  those 
judgments  which  had  fallen  upon  their  brethren,  and 


236  TVVENTY-HFTH   HOMILY  ON 

remaining  obstinate  in  their  wickedness,  the  Jews 
were  delivered  by  Almighty  God  in  the  hands  of 
Nabuchodonosor,  who  carried  them  captives  to  Baby- 
lon, in  the  same  manner  as  Salmanasar  had  treated  the 
ten  tribes  that  formed  the  kingdom  of  Israel.  The 
severe  vengeance  which  the  Almighty  thus  took  upon 
his  rebellious  people,  is  but  a  shadow  of  that  dreadful 
chastisement  which  throughout  eternity  he  will  inflict 
upon  wilful  sinners,  in  their  everlasting  banishment 
from  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  the  city  of  the  living 
God,  and  the  joys  that  flow  from  the  glorious  presence 
of  Him  who  reigns  within  it. 

Tobias,  at  the  same  time  that  he  foresaw  the  de- 
struction of  Jerusalem,  and  the  banishment  of  its  in- 
habitants, was  consoled  with  a  view  of  the  restoration 
of  the  Jewish  people,  and  their  return  to  the  divine 
favour  and  protection.  He,  therefore,  exhorts  his 
countrymen  to  be  grateful  for  the  divine  goodness,  and 
give  due  praise  to  the  Most  High  for  his  wonderful 
mercy. 

"Jerusalem,  the  Lord  hath  chastised  thee  for  the 
works  of  thy  hand.  Give  glory  to  the  Lord  for  thy 
good  things,  and  bless  the  God  eternal,  that  he  may 
rebuild  bis  tabernacle  in  thee,  and  may  call  back  all 
his  captives  to  thee,  and  thou  mayest  rejoice  for  ever 
and  ever." 

It  is  not,  however,  to  the  mere  release  of  his  people 
from  captivity,  to  the  rebuilding  of  the  temple,  or  the 
temporal  prosperity  of  the  Jews,  that  the  prophetic 
Tobias  confines  his  view.  Glorious  as  these  events 
were,  and  wonderfully  as  they  mark  the  interposing 
hand  of  divine  Providence  in  favour  of  his  chosen 
people,  yet  they  sink  into  comparative  insignificance, 
when  contrasted  with  the  blessings  poured  out  upon 
mankind  in  the  establishment  of  the  Christian  Church, 
and  the  graces  diffused  over  the  earth  by  her  doctrines 
and  her  sacraments,  to  the  end  of  ages.  Tobias  fore- 
sees the  day  when  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God 


THE  BOOK  OF    TOBIAS.  237 

shall  no  longer  be  confined  to  an  ungratpful,  proud, 
and  rebellious  people;  when  He,  to  whom  his  Father 
hath  given  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  for  his  inheri- 
tance, the  promised  Messiah,  shall  come,  to  bring  back 
the  captive  children  from  the  slaver}'  of  sin  and  hell, 
awd  establish  upon  earth  a  kingdom  that  shall  endure 
for  ever.  This  kingdom,  which  is  no  other  than  the 
Church  of  Christ,  was  to  take  its  rise  from  Jerusalem, 
and  thence  was  to  spread  itself  over  every  nation  un- 
der the  sun.  Hence  Tobias  addresses  the  Church 
under  the  figurative  name  of  Jerusalem.  The  divine 
Founder  of  this  kingdom  likens  it  to  a  grain  of  mus- 
tardseed,  small  and  insignificant  in  its  first  appearance, 
but  afterwards  growing  up,  and  becoming  a  large  tree, 
in  which  the  birds  of  the  air  seek  refuge  and  repose. 
The  Church,  at  its  first  establishment,  was  confined  to 
the  narrow  limits  of  Jerusalem,  but  soon  spreading  its 
branches  into  the  most  distant  parts,  enclosed  the  king- 
doms and  people  of  the  earth  under  its  shade.  Nothing 
more  clearly  bespeakes  itself  to  be  the  work  of  God, 
than  the  establishment  and  the  propagation  of  the 
Church  of  Christ.  The  instruments  whom  its  Founder 
chose  to  employ  for  the  accomplishment  of  this  great 
work,  in  all  human  views  were  the  most  unlikely  to 
succeed.  Twelve  men,  taken  from  the  lowest  occu- 
pations in  life,  totally  unacquainted  with  human  learn- 
ing, unsupported  by  an  earthly  power  or  protection, 
with  nothing  but  disgrace,  persecution,  and  death  be- 
fore them  as  their  portion  in  diis  world,  are  commis- 
sioned to  bring  mankind  to  the  belief  that  one  Jesus, 
who  had  been  rejected  by  his  own  people  and  nailed 
to  a  disgraceful  cross,  was  no  other  than  the  Saviour 
of  the  world,  and  that  all  who  refused  to  believe  in 
him,  would  be  eternally  excluded  from  the  happiness 
of  a  future  state.  In  vain  did  the  great  ones  of  the 
world  oppose  the  preaching  of  these  men;  in  vain  did 
the  powers  of  hell  unite  with  the  princes  of  the  earth 
in  resisting  the  progress  of  the  Christian  faith.     The 


TWENTY-FIFTH  HOMILY    ON 

Apostles  preached  every  where,  the  Lord  co-operating 
with  them,  and  shewing  by  the  miracles  which  he  en- 
abled them  to  work,  that  they  acted  by  his  authority. 
The  prejudices  of  ages  gave  way;  and  the  heathens, 
renouncing  their  idolatrous  superstitions,  ran  in  crowds 
to  embrace  Cliristianity;  so  that  in  the  course  of  a  few 
years,  the  spiritual  kingdom  of  Christ  was  established 
in  most  parts  of  the  then  known  world.  "We  are  but 
of  yesterday,"  says  TertulHan  to  the  Pagans,  "and 
we  till  your  cities,  your  towns,  your  armies,  your 
palaces,  and  your  houses."  Thus  was  the  church  of 
Christ,  the  city  of  God  upon  earth,  miraculously  es- 
tablished; thus  was  the  light  of  truth  diffused  over  the 
nations  that  had  hitherto  sat  in  darkness  and  in  the 
shadow  of  death.  The  prophetic  view,  with  which 
Tobias  was  favoured  of  this  glorious  event,  filled  that 
holy  man  witli  raptures  of  joy,  and  he  thus  declares  it 
to  his  fellow-captives: 

Ver.  13.     Tliou,  (Jerusalem,  i.  e.  the  Church)  shall  shine  with  a 
glorious    light,  and   all   the   ends  of   the   earth   shall  worship 

thee 14.  Nations  from  afar  shall  come  to  thee,  and  bring 

gifts,  and   adore   the   Lord   in   thee,  and  esteem  thy  land  as 
holy 15.  For  they  shall  call  upon  the  great  name  in  thee. 

The  prophet  Isaiah,  in  a  noble  and  sublime  strain 
of  prophetic  eloquence,  announces  to  the  earth  the 
same  blessings,  of  the  light  of  the  gospel,  and  the 
wonderful  propagation  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 
"Arise,  Jerusalem,  be  enlightened,  ior  the  glory  of  the 
Lord  is  risen  upon  thee;  darkness  shall  cover  the  earth, 
and  a  thick  mist  the  peo[)le  thereof:  but  the  Lord  him- 
self shall  rise  upon  thee,  and  his  glory  shall  be  seen 
within  thee.  And  the  Gentiles  shall  walk  in  thy  light, 
and  kings  in  the  brightness  of  thy  rising.  Lift  up  thy 
eyes  and  see;  all  these  are  gathered  together,  they  are 
come  to  thee;  thy  sons  shall  come  from  afar,  and  thy 
daughters  shall  rise  up  at  thy  side.  The  strength  of 
the  Gentiles  shall  come  to  thee;  all  they  from  Saba 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  239 

shall  come,  bringing  gold  and  frankincense:  and  shew- 
ing forth  praise  to  the  Lord.  The  islands  wait  for  me, 
and  the  ships  of  the  sea,  t!iat  I  may  bring  thy  sons 
from  afar,  their  silver  and  their  gold  with  them,  to  the 
name  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  to  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel,  because  he  hath  gloritied  thee.  And  thou  shall 
suck  the  milk  of  the  Gentiles,  and  thou  slialt  be  nursed 
with  the  breast  of  kings,  and  thou  shalt  know  that  1 
am  the  Lord,  thy  Saviour,  and  thy  Redeemer,  the 
mighty  One  of  Jacob."  chap.  Ix. 

These  magnificent  prophecies  received  their  fulfil- 
ment in  the  glorious  establishment  of  the  Christian 
Church.  When  the  Apostles  began  to  announce  the 
doctrines  of  their  Saviour,  the  nations  of  the  earth 
were  buried  in  the  thickest  darkness:  but  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Sun  of  Justice,  piercing  these  obscure  clouds  with 
the  rays  of  his  divine  light,  dispelled  the  mists  that 
covered  the  world,  and  enlightened  the  earth  with  the 
splendour  of  the  New  Law,  which  completely  eclips- 
ed the  brightness  of  the  Old.  As  soon  as  this  divine 
light  shone  upon  mankind,  nations  ran  in  crowds  to 
partake  of  its  splendour;  they  entered  into  the  city  of 
God,  his  holy  Church,  revered  it  as  a  spot  truly  holy, 
brought  the  most  magnificent  presents  to  enrich  her, 
offered  in  her  their  sacrifices  to  the  Most  High,  and 
called  with  faith  upon  his  holy  name.  Enriched  with 
the  spoils  of  the  Pagan  world,  the  Church,  triumphing 
over  the  persecutors  that  opposed  her  progress,  and 
gaining  strength  and  fruitfulness  from  the  blood  of  her 
martyrs,  beheld  the  most  distant  nations  reposing  un- 
der her  wings.,  and  tasting  in  her  precincts,  the  rich 
blessings  which  her  heavenly  Founder  had  commis- 
sioned her  to  impart  to  mankind. 

y'er.  IG.     TJiey  shall  be  cursed  that  shall  despise  thee:  and  they 
shall  be  condemned  that  shall  blaspheme  thee:  and  blessed  shall 

they  be  that  shall  build  thee  up 17.  But  thou  shalt  rejoice 

in  thy  children,  because  they  shall  all  be  blessed,  and  shall  be 

gathered  together  to  the  Lord 18.  Blessed  are  all  they  that 

love  thee,  and  that  rejoice  in  thy  peace. 


240  TWENTY-FIFTH    HOMILV  ON 

In  his  kingdom,  that  is,  his  Chuich  upon  earth,  our 
divine  Redeemer  has  assured  us,  tliat  tares  will  be 
found  mixed  with  the  good  corn,  until  he,  the  hea- 
venly husbandman,  shall  come  at  the  end  of  the  world, 
and,  separating  the  tares  from  the  wheat,  shall  gather 
the  good  grain  into  his  barn,  but  shall  burn  the  tares 
with  unquenchable  fire.  The  same  awful  truths  are 
here  delivered  by  the  prophetic  Tobias;  the  curse  of 
God  is  denounced  against  those  who,  either  in  faith  or 
morals,  shew  themselves  enemies  of  the  Church  of 
God.  Woe  be  to  those  who  blaspheme  or  speak  evil 
against  the  true  Church  of  Christ,  who  calumniate 
her,  who  misrepresent  her  doctrines,  or  seduce  men 
from  her  into  the  by-paths  of  heresy  and  schism.  But 
a  much  greater  woe,  or  curse  from  God,  will  fall  upon 
those  ungrateful  children  of  the  Church,  who,  though 
nursed  in  her  bosom,  and  fed  with  her  milk  of  heaven- 
ly doctrine  and  the  most  holy  sacraments,  despise  her 
orders,  live  in  the  violation  of  her  precepts,  disgrace 
her  by  a  wicked  life,  and  prejudice  others  against  her 
doctrine  by  their  scandals.  The  word  of  God  here 
pronounces  the  condemnation  of  all  such  scandalous 
and  rebellious  Christians;  and  Jesus  Christ  declares 
that  it  shall  be  more  tolei'able  in  the  day  of  judgment 
for  heathens,  who  never  knew  the  true  God,  than  for 
such  as  bear  the  name  of  children  of  the  Church,  but 
live  in  disobedience  to  her  sacred  injunctions.  The 
Church  of  God  mourns  over  these  her  unhappy  chil- 
dren; their  ingratitude  is  a  subject  of  deep  affliction  to 
her.  But  she  is  filled  with  joy  and  consolation  at  the 
holy  lives  and  edifying  conversation  of  her  faithful 
children,  knowing,  as  Tobias  expresses  it,  that  they 
are  truly  blessed;  blessed  upon  earth  in  the  friendship 
of  her  spouse,  and  destined  for  eternal  blessedness,  by 
being  gathered  together  to  the  Lord.  This  blessing 
is  first  promised  to  those  who  build  up  the  Church,  to  , 
the  Apostles  and  their  successors  in  the  sacred  minis- 
try, who  by  their  preaching,  their  labours,  and  sancti^ 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  241 

ty  of  manners,  propagate  the  spiritual  kingdom  of 
Christ  throughout  the  eartli.  Such  as  these  will  re- 
ceive a  double  crown;  for,  "they  who  instruct  others 
unto  justice,  shall  shine  like  stars  for  all  eternity." 
But  the  blessing  is  not  confined  to  tliem;  it  extends  to 
all  members  of  the  Churcli,  who,  by  a  virtuous  life 
and  holy  example,  contribute  to  the  advancement  of 
this  holy  and  spiritual  edifice,  the  Church,  and  adorn 
the  city  of  God.  It  is  in  these  her  faithful  children 
that  the  Church  rejoices;  she  beholds  tb.em  united  in 
one  and  the  same  faith,  looking  forward  with  hope  to 
the  sair.c  promised  blessing,  animated  with  a  spirit  of 
charity,  walking  in  the  footsteps  of  her  divine  founder, 
and  directing  their  lives  to  the  glory  of  their  Creator. 
These  form  at  once  the  joy  and  consolation  of  this 
holy  mother  the  Church;  she  loves  these  her  faithful 
children,  and  in  return  is  loved  by  tliem.  "Blessed 
are  all  they  that  love  thee,  and  tiiat  rejoice  in  thy 
peace."  All  true  children  of  the  Church,  sensible  of 
the  blessing  which  they  enjoy  in  her  protection,  are 
interested  in  her  prosperity,  and  rejoice  in  promoting 
her  extension,  and  in  contributing  to  her  glory.  While 
the  children  of  the  world,  under  the  influence  of  am- 
bition and  earthly  glory,  devote  themselves  with  eager- 
ness to  the  service  of  their  country,  and  cheerfully 
sacrifice  their  ease,  their  property,  and  their  life,  to 
advance  its  power  and  rank  among  nations;  let  it  be 
our  glory,  as  children  of  the  Church,  to  extend  her 
empire  among  mankind;  let  us  embrace  with  cheerful- 
ness every  opportunity  of  contributing  to  the  advance- 
ment of  religion,  of  increasing  the  number  of  God's 
servants,  and  promoting  the  salvation  of  our  fellow- 
creatures. 

The  Church  is  the  city  of  peace,  and  they  who 
truly  love  her,  rejoice  in  her  peace.  This  peace  of 
the  Church  will  not  be  perfect  until  her  divine  spouse 
shall  unite  her  to  himself  in  glory.  Here  on  earth, 
she  is  exposed  to  storms,  and  conflicts,  and  dangers; 
21 


242  TWENTY-FIFTH   HOMILY    ON 

her  peace  is  often  disturbed  by  the  vices  and  evil  ex- 
ample of  some  of  her  unduliful  children.  But  in  the 
midst  of  these  scenes  of  danger,  she  enjoys  a  foretaste 
of  her  future  peace,  in  the  divine  protection,  and  in 
the  virtues  of  those  her  faithful  children,  who  by  their 
unity  of  faith,  the  firmness  of  their  hope,  and  the  bonds 
of  charity  which  unite  them,  afford  upon  earth  an 
image  of  her  future  state  of  eternal  peace.  Tobias 
pronounces  those  blessed,  who,  by  their  steady  ad- 
herence to  the  faith  of  the  Church,  their  humble  sub- 
mission to  her  laws,  and  their  bright  virtues,  preserve 
true  peace  within  her  bosom,  and  fly  with  horror  from 
all  those  divisions  in  doctrine,  or  scandals,  that  might 
disturb  her  repose,  or  violate  her  unity. 

Ver.  19.     My  soul,  bless  thou  the  Lord,  because  the  Lord  our 

God  hath  delivered  Jerusalem  his  city  from  ail  her  troubles 

20.  Happy  shall  I  be  if  there  shall  remain  oS  my  seed,  to  see 

the  glory  of  Jerusalem 21.     The  gates  of  Jerusalem  shall 

be  built  of  sapphire  and  of  emerald,  and  all  the  walls  thereof 

round  about  of  precious  stones 22.  All  its  streets  shall  be 

paved  with  wiiite  and  clean  stones,  and  Alleluia  shall  be  sung 

in  its  stieets 23.  Blessed  be  the  Lord,  who  hath  exalted  it, 

and  may  he  reign  over  it  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen 

The  holy  Tobias,  no  longer  considering  the  Church 
in  her  state  of  trial  upon  earili,  but  favoured  with  a 
view  of  her  magnificent  glory  in  heaven,  is  enraptured 
with  joy,  and  praising  God  for  his  unbounded  good- 
ness, ardently  sighs  for  that  happy  day  of  eternity, 
when  he  and  his  virtuous  offspring  may  be  at  once 
witnesses  and  partakers  of  its  glory.  This  glory  of 
the  Church  in  its  triumphant  state,  is  no  other  than 
God  himself,  who  is  the  light,  the  splendour,  and  the 
happiness  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem.  Under  the 
figurative  appellation  of  emeralds  and  precious  stones, 
Tobias  designates  the  elect  of  God;  who,  according 
to  their  different  degrees  of  sanctity,  like  so  many  in- 
estimable jewels,  shall  adorn  the  eternal  city  of  God. 
Polished  upon  earth  by  the  chisel  and  the  hammer  of 


THE  BOOK  OF   TOBIAS.  243 

afflictions,  they  shall  be  translated  to  this  heavenly  edi- 
fice, and  support  and  adorn  this  magnificent  structure 
of  God's  infinite  nnajesty.  Into  this  holy  city  no  un- 
clean thing  shall  enter;  all  its  streets  shall  be  paved 
with  white  stone,  with  spotless  innocence,  and  no 
other  song  shall  be  heard,  than  eternal  hymns  of  praise 
and  thanksgiving  to  God. 

O  God,  blessed  be  thou  for  this  immense  glory 
which  thou  hast  prepared  for  thv  servants,  when  after 
their  long  captivity  thou  wilt  console  them  with  the 
presence  of  thy  glorji.  Establish  in  our  souls,  in  this 
our  exile,  the  reign  of  thy  grace,  that  thus  we  may  be 
prepared  to  rtign  with  thee  for  ever  in  the  kingdom  of 
thy  glory.     Amen. 


844  TWENTY-SIXTH   HOMILY  ON 


TVTENTY  SIXTH  KOBXZI.Y 

Chap.  XIV.  vcr.   1.  And  the  words  of  Tobias  were  ended.     And 
after  Tobias  was  restored  lo  his  sight,  lie  lived  two  and  forty 

years,  ami  saw   the  ciiihiren  of  liis  grand-cliildren 2  And 

after  he  had  lived  a  hiindi'cd  and  twoyears,  he  was  buried  hon- 
ourably in  Ninive 3.    Ftrlie  was  sixatid  fifiy  ycarsold  when 

be  lost  the  si;;ht  of  his  e\cs,  and  sixty  when  he  recovered  it 
again.  And  tlic  rest  of  his  life  was  in  joy,  and  with  great  in- 
crease of  the  fear  of  God  h„  diparled  in  peace. 

We  now,  niy  beloved  brethren,  draw  near  to  the 
close  of  the  history,  which  the  holy  Scriptures  have 
recorded,  of  the  virtues  of  Tobias.  After  having 
for  four  years  endured  the  severe  atfliction  of  blind- 
ness with  the  most  admirable  patience  and  resignation 
to  the  divine  will,  at  the  age  of  three  score  years  he 
was  miraculously  restored  to  his  sight,  in  the  manner 
which  you  have  heard  related.  It  pleased  Almighty 
God  to  prolong  the  life  of  this  holy  man  to  a  very  ad- 
vanced age,  that  he  miglit  present  to  mankind  a  pat- 
tern of  virtue  in  every  stage  of  human  existence.  His 
declining  years  were  an  uninterrupted  series  of  peace 
and  domestic  happiness,  the  happy  fruit  of  his  past  fi- 
delity to  God,  and  the  care  which  he  look  of  his  son 
in  his  infancy.  The  rest  of  his  life,  says  the  sacred 
text,  was  in  joy;  not  that  woildly  joy  which  arises 
merely  from  earthly  considerations,  such  as  riches  and 
temporal  prosperity,  but  a  joy  springing  from  a  con- 
sciousness of  enjoying  the  divine  favour  and  protec- 
tion, accompanied  u  ith  the  sight  of  a  family  who  made 
it  tlieir  constant  practice  to  serve  God  with  fidelity, 
and  devote  their  lives  lo  the  end  for  which  they  had 
received  their  being. 

'J'o  the  end  of  his  life  Tobias  advanced  in  the  fear 
of  God;  in  that  holy  filial  fear  which  is  founded  on  a 
love  of  the  Supreme  Being  above  every  otner  object, 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS. 


245 


and  which  carefully  abstains  from  every  thing  that 
might  in  the  least  be  contrary  to  his  holy  will.  This 
gradual  and  constant  advancing  towards  perfection,  is 
one  of  the  marks  of  the  predestinated,  and  forms  a 
distinguishing  feature  in  the  character  of  the  truly  just 
man.  "The  path  of  the  just,  as  a  shining  light,  goeth 
forwards,  and  increaseth  even  to  perfect  day."  Prov. 
iv.  18.  To  aim  at  this  perfection  is  the  duty  of  all; 
the  very  first,  and  the  greatest  of  the  commandments 
is,  "that  we  love  the  Lord  our  God  with  all  our  hearts, 
with  all  our  minds,  and  with  all  our  strength."  But 
the  full  perfection  of  this  love  of  our  Creator  is  not 
attainable  in  this  life,  it  is  reserved  for  our  future  state 
in  eternal  happiness,  when,  being  purified  from  the 
dross  of  earthly  affection,  all  the  faculties  of  our  souls 
will  be  absorbed  in  God,  and  our  only  and  never-end- 
ing employment  will  be  the  contemplation  and  the 
love  of  him.  During  our  present  state  of  existence, 
our  love  is  at  the  best  but  imperfect;  yet  it  is  our  duty 
to  desire  its  complete  perfection,  and  constantly  to 
press  forward  towards  the  attainment  of  it.  This  is 
what  our  divine  Redeemer  calls,  "to  hunger  and  thirst 
after  justice;"  and  he  promises  his  blessing  both  for 
time  and  eternity  to  those  who  are  faithful  in  fulfilling 
this  duty.  "Blessed  are  they  that  hunger  and  thirst 
after  justice,  for  they  shall  be  filled;"  filled  with  abun- 
dance of  divine  grace  in  this  life,  to  aid  their  spiritual 
advancement,  and  crowned  with  an  eternity  of  bles- 
sings in  the  life  to  come. 

Tobias,  at  the  age  of  one  hundred  and  two  years, 
perceiving  that  his  last  hour  was  come,  that  hour  after 
which  he  had  long  been  sighing,  called  his  family 
around  him,  and  gave  them  his  last  advice,  as  the  holy 
Scripture  relates j  in  the  following  manner: 


2V 


8*46  TWENTY-SIXTH  HOMILY    ON 

Ver.  5.  And  at  the  hour  of  his  death,  he  called  unto  him  his  son 
Tobias,  and  his  children,  seven  young  men,  his  grandsons,  and 

*aid  to  them: 6.  The  destruction  of  I^inive  is  at  hand:  for 

the  word  of  the  Lord  must  be  fulfilled:  and  our  brethren,  that 
are  scattered  abroad  from  the  land  of  Israel,  shall  return  to 
it» 7.  And  all  the  land  that  is  desert  shall  be  filled  with  peo- 
ple, and  the  house  of  God  which  is  burnt  in  it,  shall  again  be 

rebuilt,  and  all  that  fear  God  shall  return  thither 8.  And 

the  Gentiles  shall  leave  their  idols,  and  shall  come  into  Jeru- 
salem,  and  shall  dwell  in  it i).  And  all   the  kings  of  the 

earth  shall  rejoice  in  it  adoring  the  king  of  Israel. 

Tobias,  on  his  death-bed,  is  favoured  by  the  holy 
Spirit  with  a  foresight  of  ceitain  great  events  which, 
in  the  order  of  God's  providence,  and  for  the  execu- 
tion of  the  decrees  of  his  infinite  justice  and  mercy, 
were  to  happen  in  future  times.  The  holy  old  man 
imparts  the  knowledge  of  these  important  events  to 
his  family,  for  iheir  instruction,  and  to  confirm  them 
in  their  fidelity  to  God.  He  foretells  the  speedy  des- 
truction of  JNinive,  the  return  of  the  captive  Jews  to 
their  native  land,  the  rebuilding  of  the  temple,  and  the 
calling  of  the  Gentiles  to  the  knowledge  of  the  tiue 
God. 

"The  destruction  of  Ninive  is  at  hand,  for  the  word 
of  the  Lord  must  be  fulfilled."  When  the  Ninivites, 
by  their  wicked  and  licentious  lives,  had  provoked 
the  anger  of  God  to  the  highest  pitch,  the  prophet 
Jonas  was  sent  on  the  part  of  the  Almighty  to  de- 
nounce his  vengeance  against  them.  At  the  preaching 
of  the  prophet,  that  sinful  people  humbled  themselves 
in  fasting  and  penance,  and  by  tlieir  repentance  ob- 
tained a  reversion  of  the  sentence  which  the  divine 
indignation  had  denounced  against  them.  But  the 
mercy  of  God  was  soon  forgotten,  and  Ninive,  in  a 
short  time,  again  sunk  into  vice  and  licentiousness. 
God,  whose  forbearance  is  without  bounds,  with  a 
view  to  the  repentance  of  that  sinful  people,  delayed 
the  execution  of  his  threats  for  the  long  period  of  one 
hundred  and  eighty  years  after  the  preaching  of  Jonas. 


THE  BOOK  OP  TOBIAS.  247 

But  at  length  the  decree  of  his  justice  was  executed. 
Nabopalassar,  king  of  Babylon,  and  Astyages,  king 
of  the  Medes,  with  their  united  forces,  attacked  IS'i- 
nive,  took  it,  and  levelled  it  with  the  ground.  This 
event  happened  about  thirty-seven  years  after  the 
death  of  Tobias.  The  word  of  God,  said  that  holy 
man,  must  be  fulfilled.  It  is  true,  God  is  sometimes 
slow  in  executing  his  vengeance  upon  sinners,  because 
being  rich  in  mercy  and  patience,  he  wills  not  their 
death,  but  that  they  should  be  converted  to  him  and 
live;  but  unless  the  sinner,  listening  to  the  call  of  di- 
vine mercy,  averts  the  indignation  of  heaven  by  time- 
ly repentance,  the  vengeance  of  God  will  most  assur- 
edly overtake  him,  with  a  severity  proportioned  to  the 
mercy  that  has  been  abused. 

The  second  great  event  ivhich  Tobias  foretells  to 
his  family,  is  the  restoration  of  the  captive  Jews  to 
tlieir  native  land,  and  the  rebuilding  of  the  temple  of 
Jerusalem.  "Our  brethren  that  are  scattered  abroad 
from  the  land  of  Israel,  shall  return  to  it.  And  the 
house  of  God  that  is  burnt  shall  be  rebuilt,  and  all  that 
fear  God  shall  return  thither." 

This  prophecy  of  Tobias  concerning  the  return  of 
the  captive  Israelites,  is  to  be  understood  not  only  of 
the  ten  tribes  who  were  then  actually  dispersed  over 
the  Assyrian  empire;  from  the  circumstance  which  he 
mentions  respecting  the  temple  of  Jerusalem,  (which 
at  the  period  of  his  death  was  still  standing)  it  is  clear, 
that  he  speaks  also  of  the  tribes  of  Judah  and  Benja- 
min, who  still  remained  in  Judea,  but  were  afterwards 
transported  to  Babylon,  and  continued  in  captivity  un- 
til Cyrus  published  an  edict  permitting  their  return 
and  the  rebuilding  of  the  temple.  The  Greek  text 
expresses  this  in  clear  and  full  terms.  The  edict  of 
Cyrus  served  as  a  signal  for  all  those  among  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  who  feared  God,  to  reunite  in  the  wor- 
ship of  the  true  God  according  to  the  Mosaic  law,  and 
to  renew,  in  his  temple  at  Jerusalem,  the  sacrifices 


248  TWENTY-SIXTH   HOMILY  ON 

which  were  appointed  to  be  offered  to  him  in  that  sa- 
cred place  alone.  Accordingly  we  find,  that  after  the 
rebuildin,:^  of  the  temple,  the  Jews  who  dwelt  in  the 
most  distant  parts  of  Asia  and  in  t-gypt,  on  the  prin- 
cipal feasts  assembled  at  Jerusalem  to  assist  at  the  sa- 
crifices of  the  law.  The  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  in  the 
second  chapter,  mention,  that  at  the  solemn  feast  of 
Pentecost,  when  the  Apostles  began  to  announce  tlie 
doctrines  of  their  divine  .Master,  Jews  were  assembled 
from  all  parts  of  tlie  then  known  world,  and  were 
witnesses  of  the  miraculous  effusion  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  upon  the  Apostles  and  first  disciples. 

It  was  soon  after  this  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
that  the  last  great  event,  predicted  by  Tobias,  the  cal- 
ling of  the  Gentiles  or  heatlien  nations  to  the  ti'ue  faith 
and  Church  of  Christ,  began  to  receive  its  accomplish- 
ment. ''The  Gentiles  shall  leave  tiieir  idols,  and  shall 
come  into  Jerusalem,  and  shall  dwell  in  it.  And  all 
the  kings  of  the  earth  shall  rejoice  in  it,  adoring  the 
king  of  Israel." 

Under  the  figurative  name  of  Jerusalem,  the  pro- 
phetic Tobias  again  marks  out  the  Church  of  Christ, 
and  foretells  its  miraculous  establishment  and  propa- 
gation. It  is  evident  that  the  city  and  temple  of  which 
this  holy  man  hei-e  speaks,  are  the  same  as  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapter,  this  city,  into  which  the  nations  of  the 
earth  were  to  assemble  in  crowds  after  renouncing 
their  superstitions,  and  tliis  temple,  in  which  nations 
and  kings  wcr'c  to  adore  God,  could  be  no  other  than 
the  Chui'ch  of  Christ,  the  city  and  the  temple  of  the 
living  God.  For  the  Jewish  city  of  Jerusalem  in  the 
Old  Law,  never  witnessed  any  extraordinary  assem- 
blage of  converted  Pagans,  nor  did  the  kings  of  the 
earth  come  to  her  rejoicing,  to  adore  the  king  of  Isra- 
el in  her.  On  the  contrary,  Jerusalem,  the  city  of  the 
Jews,  suffered  the  greatest  of  evils  and  persecutions 
from  the  heathen  kings  who  surrounded  her,  and 
who,  after  several  times  profaning  her  temple  and 


THE  BOOK    OF   TOBIAS.  249 

plundering  her  inhabitants,  destroyed  her,  and  burnt 
the  temple  to  allies.  It  was  the  Christian  Church, 
often  prefigured  in  lioly  \vrit  under  the  title  of  Jeru- 
salem, which  beheld  the  heathen  nations  biingingto 
her  the  spoils  of  their  false  gods,  taking  u[)  their  abode 
in  her  sanctuary,  and  adorning  iier  by  the  most  per- 
fect practice  of  the  suhlime  virtues  taught  by  her 
Founder.  After  thiec  centuries  of  persecution,  the 
Church  at  length  had  the  happiness  to  sec  the  emper- 
ors and  kings  of  the  e.uth  enrol  themsches  with  joy 
among  her  ciiildren,  adore  as  their  God  and  King, 
Jesus  Christ,  whom  the  Jews  had  refused  to  acknowl- 
edge as  king  of  Israel-  and  esteeming  the  cross,  which 
had  hitherto  been  a  badge  of  infamy,  as  an  ornament 
far  surpassing  the  briglUest  jewels  that  adorned  their 
crowns. 

The  virtuous  and  aged  Tohias  liaving  thus  comfort- 
ed his  weeping  family,  by  unfolding  to  them  the  won- 
ders of  God's  meicy  reseived  for  future  ages,  gives 
them  his  last  exhoitatiou  to  virtue  in  these  words: 

Vcr.  10.  Hearken,  therefore,  my  ciiildren,   to  your  fallier;  serve 

ttie  Lord  in  truth,  and  seeic  to  do  llie  thiniLs  Inat  |)!ease  liim: 

11.  And  command  all  your  ciiildren  (hat  they  do  justice  and 
alms-deeds,  and  that  they  be  miridriilOr  Gcd,  and  bless  tiim  at 

fill  times  in  truth,  and  with  all  their  povver 12.   And  now, 

children,  hear  mo,  and  do  not  slay  here-  but  as  soon  as  you 
shall  bury  your  mother  by  me  in  one  s(!p'ilclire,  witiiout  delay 
direct  your  sieps  to  depart  hence 13.  h\v  1  see  that  its  ini- 
quity will  bring  it  to  destruction. 

In  this  admirable  exhonation  of  a  dying  parent  to 
his  atfectionale  family,  what  truly  excellent  lessons  of 
piety  are  presented  to  our  view!  This  short  discourse 
is  an  abridgment  of  those  exhortations  and  lessons 
which  Tobias  delivered  to  his  son  on  a  former  occa- 
sion, when  he  apprehended,  in  consequence  of  his 
blindness,  that  his  rnd  was  dra\ving  near.  We  wit- 
ness in  this  dying  Saint,  no  anxiety  about  temporal 
affairs;  we  hear  from  his  lips  nothing  about  the  riches 


250  TWENTY-SIXTH  HOMILY   ON 

of  this  earth,  or  those  objects  upon  which  worldlings 
set  their  hearts;  but  we  behold  a  faithful  servant  of 
God  bequeathing  to  his  children  a  rich  legacy  of  vir- 
tues; a  treasure  far  surpassing  all  the  empty  honours, 
transitory  wealth,  and  boasted  titles,  of  a  vain  world. 
He  exhorts  his  family  to  direct  every  action  to  the 
glory  of  their  Creator;  to  consider  him  present  in  all 
their  ways;  to  pay  him  faithfully  the  homage  of  pray- 
er and  sacrifice  due  to  him;  lo  bless  him  at  all  times, 
both  in  prosperity  and  adversity;  to  rejoice  in  the  ac- 
complishment of  his  divine  will,  ever  just,  ever  holy, 
ever  amiable;  in  fine  to  serve  God  in  truth,  by  the  dili- 
gent observance  of  all  his  commandments,  and  not 
suffer  their  lives  to  give  the  lie  to  their  professions; 
but,  while  they  profess  to  know  and  adore  the  true 
God,  to  manifest  to  the  world  the  holiness  and  the 
truth  of  their  religion,  by  a  virtuous  life  and  edifying 
conversation.  Next  to  these  duties,  which  are  branch- 
es of  the  love  of  God,  Tobias  turns  to  the  obligations 
of  fraternal  charity,  and  exhorts  his  family  faithfully 
to  fulfil  them;  to  satisfy  both  jusiice  and  charity,  and, 
more  especially,  to  cherish  in  their  hearts  a  tender 
compassion  for  their  distressed  fellow-creatures,  and 
be  ever  readN"^  to  relieve  and  assist  ihem  in  all  their 
wants,  both  corporal  and  spiritual.  Lastly,  he  gives 
directions  for  his  own  decent  burial;  and,  to  shew  his 
unalterable  and  inviolate  aflection  for  his  wife,  requests 
that  she  may  be  buried  in  the  same  grave  with  himself. 
Then,  foreseeing  that  the  deaih  of  his  wife  would  be 
speedily  followed  by  the  destruction  of  the  wicked 
city  of  Ninive,  he  exhoi'ts  his  family  to  leave  that  har- 
dened people,  lest  they  also  should  be  involved  in  the 
same  ruin.  Would  to  God  that  Christian  parents, 
like  this  holy  man,  were  ever  careful  to  separate  their 
tender  offspring  from  the  corruption  of  a  wicked 
world! — So  great  is  this  corruption,  so  pernicious  are 
its  effects,  that  thousands  of  young  persons  owe  their 
eternal  destruction  to  no  other  cause.     The  only  meth- 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  251 

od  of  securing  the  innocence  and  virtue  of  children, 
is,  for  parents  to  ibrewarn  their  tender  ofl'spring 
against  the  society  of  those  who  may  endanger  their 
morals,  and  never  suffer  them  to  form  a  connection 
that  may  taint  their  minds  with  the  infection  of  vice. 

The  lessons  of  the  virtuous  Tobias;  his  exhorta- 
tions, and  his  advice  and  directions,  were  faithfully 
followed  in  every  point  by  his  son  and  his  grandsons. 

Ver.  14.  And  it  camo  to  pass,  that,  after  the  death  of  his  mother, 
Tobias  departed  out  of  Ninivc  with  his  wife  and  children,  and 
children's  children,  and  returned  to  his  father  and  mothei'-in- 

law 15.  And  he  found  them  in  health,  in  a  good  old  age:  and 

he  took  care  of  tlietn,  and  he  closed  their  eyes;  and  all  the  in- 
heritance of  RagucTs  liouse  came  to  him;  and  he  saw  his  chil- 
dren's children  to  the  fifth  generation 16.  And  after  he  had 

lived  ninety-nine  years  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  with  joy,  they 

buried  him 17    And  all  his  kindred,  and  all  his  generation, 

continued  in  good  life,  and  in  holy  conversation,  so  that  they 
were  acceptable  both  to  God  and  to  men,  and  to  all  that  dwelt 
in  the  land. 

Retaining  in  his  manhood  the  humble  principles  of 
docility  and  obedience  which  had  guided  his  youth, 
the  young  Tobias  fulfilled  all  his  father's  directions, 
and  leaving  Ninive,  went  with  his  wife  and  family  to 
the  house  of  Raguel  his  father-in-law.  There,  by 
his  affectionate  behaviour  and  dutiful  attention,  he  con- 
soled the  declining  years  of  his  wife's  parents,  and,  ac- 
cording to  the  promise  which  Raguel  had  made,  at 
their  death  received  the  remainder  of  their,  property. 
His  children,  inheriting  his  virtues,  persevered  in  a 
good  life  and  holy  conversation,  and  were  so  eminent 
for  their  holiness  of  life,  that  they  were  universally 
beloved  both  by  God  and  man.  Thus  did  the  fidelity 
of  the  elder  Tobias,  in  discharging  the  duties  of  a 
parent,  produce  at  once  its  fruits  and  its  crown.  The 
piety  of  this  holy  family  of  faithful  servants  of  God 
was  the  fruit  of  the  instructions,  the  prayers,  and  vir- 
tuous example  of  him  who  was  the  head  and  the  chief 
of  this  race  of  Saints.     The  elder  Tobias  beheld  his 


952  TWENTY-SIXTH  HOMILY  ON 

son  and  h"is  grandsons  faithfully  walking  in  the  path 
which  he  had  traced  for  them,  and,  in  their  virtues, 
reaped  even  upon  earth  the  fruits  of  his  pious  labours. 
In  the  mansions  of  the  blessed  he  now  enjoys  the  full 
recompense  of  his  care,  and  the  souls  thus  sanctified 
by  his  lessons  and  example  are  so  many  jewels  added 
to  his  crown  of  glory.  Virtue  is  not  an  inheritance 
that  decends  by  blood;  it  is  a  pure  gift  of  God's  boun- 
ty. Yet  God  generally  rewards  the  care  of  virtuous 
parents,  by  blessing  them  witii  a  train  of  virtuous 
children.  By  these  examples,  fathers  and  mothers  are 
encouraged  to  discharge  with  fidelity  the  obligations 
of  their  state;  to  spare  no  labours  in  bringing  up  their 
tender  offspring  in  the  fear  of  God,  to  watch  over  the 
conduct  of  their  children  and  servants,  and,  by  word 
and  example,  to  conduct  them  in  the  path  that  will 
lead  them  to  an  inseparable  union  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven. 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  253 


TWENTY  SEVENTH  HOMILY 

Chap.  XIV.  vcr.  4.  And  the  rest  of  his  life  was  in  joy:  and  with 
great  increase  of  the  fear  of  God,  lie  dep  irted  iu  peace. 

TftE  holy  Scripture  represents  the  death  of  the  ser- 
vants of  God  under  the  pleasing*  ima<re  of  a  sweet  I'e- 
pose.  "He  slept  in  the  Lord;"  is  the  iihrasc  in  which 
the  Holy  Spirit  expresses  the  happy  de[)arture  of  the 
just  man  from  this  vale  of  tears  and  misery  to  the 
eternal  recompense  of  his  labours.  Of  Tobias,  in 
particular,  the  word  of  God  testifies,  that  the  last 
stage  of  his  mortal  existence  \va.-;  aconiinued  scene  of 
inward  joy  and  spiritual  consolation,  the  fruits  of  his 
past  fidelity  to  God,  and  the  prelude  to  a  happy  death. 
In  nearly  the  same  terms  does  the  holy  Scripture 
speak  of  his  son,  the  faithful  imitator  of  his  father's 
virtues,  who,  after  ninety-nine  years  spent  in  the  ser- 
vice of  God,  died  the  death  of  tlie  just.  Having  then, 
my  beloved  brethren,  laid  before  you,  for  your  instruc- 
tion a;id  encouragement  in  the  path  of  virtue,  the  edi- 
fying example  of  these  holy  men  during  their  lives.  I 
cannot  close  these  Discourses  more  properl}*,  than  by 
a  few  reflections  on  the  happiness  and  the  consolations 
which  attend  the  death  of  the  just.  In  detailing- these 
consolations  to  you,  1  wish  to  impress  upon  your  minds 
how  far  superior  the  situation  of  the  servants  of  God 
under  the  New  Law  is  to  that  of  the  ancient  Saints; 
how  many  sources  of  consolation  religion  now  holds 
out  to  her  faithful  followers,  to  which  the  Patriarchs 
and  Prophets  of  old  were  strangers.  Besides,  how- 
ever exemplary  their  lives  were,  however  heroic  their 
virtue  might  be,  the  full  recom{)ense  of  their  sanctity 
was  to  them  placed  at  a  great  distance,  and  death  did 
not  open  to  them  an  immediate  admission  into  the 
kingdom  of  the  blessed.  But  since  the  redeemer  of 
22 


264  TWENTY-SEVENTH  HOMILY  ON 

mankind  has,  by  his  blood,  purchased  for  us  again  the 
inheritance  which  the  disobedience  of  Adam  had  for- 
feited, innocence  of  life,  and  sanctity  of  manners,  are 
no  longer  debarred  from  their  promised  reward  of  bliss; 
but  the  souls  of  tlie  just  servants  of  God  are,  in  the 
moment  of  their  departure  fron;  this  vale  of  tears,  ad- 
mitted to  the  sight  and  enjoyment  of  their  God,  in  the 
kingdom  of  his  glory. 

"Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  is  the  death  of 
his  Saints."  Psalm  cxv.  5. — "The  Lord  helps  them  on 
the  bed  of  their  sorrow,  he  turns  all  their  couch  for 
them  in  their  sickness."  Ps.  xl.  4,  To  this,  we,  the 
ministers  of  God,  can  bear  testimony.  Called  by  the 
duties  of  our  holy  office  to  a  frequent  attendance  upon 
the  bed  of  death,  we  are  but  too  often  forced  to  be 
the  melancholy  spectators  of  the  heart  rending  scene 
which  closes  the  eyes  of  the  dying  sinner.  But  the 
same  holy  office  sometimes  animates  our  zeal,  and  con- 
soles our  labours,  by  making  us  witnesses  and  parta- 
kers of  the  joy  that  attends  the  death  of  the  just.  Oh! 
transport  yourselves,  my  beloved  brethren,  to  the  bed 
of  the  dying  Saint,  while,  for  your  encouragement  in 
the  path  of  virtue,  I  point  out  to  you  those  sweet  sour- 
ces of  consolation  which  diffuse  themselves  over  the 
soul  of  the  truly  just  man  in  the  last  scene  of  his  mor- 
tal lile. 

It  is  the  misfortune  of  the  generality  of  men  that 
during  life  and  health  they  seldom  or  never  make  their 
last  hour  the  subject  of  their  serious  reflections.  Fix- 
ing their  hearts  upon  the  riches,  the  advantages,  and 
the  pleasures  of  this  world,  they  employ  all  the  facul- 
ties and  powers  of  their  souls  and  bodies  in  labouring 
for  the  attainment  of  earthly  emoluments.  Their 
whole  time  is  spent  in  the  pursuit  of  temporal  con- 
cerns. Eternity  is  seldom  or  never  thought  of;  its 
everlasting  happiness,  and  its  endless  torments,  are 
alike  disregarded.  Sometimes,  indeed,  the  thoughts  of 
death  and  judgment  will  force  themselves  upon  their 


THE  BOOK  OF   TOBIAS.  255 

minds,  and  excite  sensations  of  alarm  and  terror;  and 
happy  would  it  be  for  them,  if,  instead  of  endeavour- 
ing to  divert  these  alarms  and  fears,  they  would  inquire 
into  the  cause. of  them,  and  give  them  a  few  moments 
serious  reflection!  But  no;  worldlings,  having  fixed 
their  hearts  upon  this  life  and  its  enjoyments,  cannot 
bear  the  thoughts  of  death;  they  startle  at  the  very 
idea  of  it,  because  they  know  that  it  will  tear  them 
from  those  scenes,  to  leave  which  is  a  subject  of  the 
deepest  regret  to  them;  and  because  the  moment  of 
their  death  will  bring  them  before  the  tribunal  of  that 
God  whose  service  they  have  neglected,  whose  promi- 
ses they  have  despised,  whose  judgments  they  have 
disregarded,  and  fro  m  whom  they  can  expect  nothing 
but  a  sentence  of  condemnation  to  eternal  misery. 
This  it  is  that  renders  death  terrible  to  the  generality 
of  men;  to  the  worldlings  no  less  than  to  the  notorious 
sinner. 

But,  what  hold  can  these  subjects  of  alarm  have 
upon  the  soul  of  the  just  man?  Does  he  either  feel 
regret  at  the  thought  of  leaving  this  world,  or  is  he 
struck  with  terror  at  the  near  prospect  of  eternity? — 
No,  my  beloved  brethren,  whichsoever  way  the  just 
man  turns  his  thoughts,  whether  to  the  past  or  to  the 
future,  he  meets  with  an  abundant  source  of  peace, 
joy,  and  heavenly  consolation.  During  life,  living  by 
faith,  and  building  his  hopes,  and  expectations  on  the 
promises  made  by  God  to  his  elect,  he  fixes  his  heart 
on  the  eternal  joys  of  heaven.  In  death  he  quits  in- 
deed the  world;  but  the  world  he  has  ever  considered 
in  its  true  light,  as  an  enemy  to  his  eternal  happiness. 
Its  maxims  he  has  carefully  avoided;  its  delusive  plea- 
sures he  has  never  suffered  to  make  an  undue  impres- 
sion upon  his  soul:  in  short,  he  has  kept  his  heart  and 
affections  disengaged  from  the  world,  and  has  learned 
to  die  daily  to  it.  To  be  finally  separated  from  it 
cannot,  therefore,  give  him  much  regret  or  uneasiness. 

But  in  quitting  the  world,  the  just  man  is  torn  from 


256  TWENTY-SEVENTH   HOMILY  ON 

his  possessions  and  his  friends; — is  not  this  at  least  a 
subject  of  sorrow  and  trouble  to  his  mind?  Ob!  no. 
Of  his  temporal  goods  the  just  man,  during-  life,  con- 
siders God  as  t!ie  sole  master,  himself  as  tlie  steward; 
he  lists  them,  accorduig  to  the  advice  of  St.  Paul,  as 
though  be  used  them  not,  (1  Cor.  vii.  30)-,  he  employs 
them  in  acts  of  mercy  and  chanty,  to  his  fellow-crea- 
tures; be  lives  in  the  disposition  of  being  willing  to 
part  with  them  when  God  shall  please  to  call  him  from 
them:  hence,  at  the  hour  of  df-atb,  be  parts  from  them 
with  cheerful  resiij;nation  to  the  will  of  heaven. — To 
leave  bis  friends  and  relations  i'^,  indeed,  a  more  trying 
sacrifice.  The  ties  of  affection  which  bind  him  to 
them,  he  has  neither  been  able  nor  willing  entirely  to 
break;  but  ihen  be  has  regulated  them  by  the  maxims 
of  the  divine  law.  He  has  loved  bis  friends  in  God 
and  for  God,  with  a  due  regaid  to  bis  own  and  their 
eternal  happinej'S.  In  death  he  arms  himself  against 
the  feelings  of  nature,  by  the  sentiments  of  a  most 
perfect  sulmiission  to  tlie  will  of  God.  If  he  behold 
his  friends,  his  wife,  bis  children,  or  acquaintance, 
weeping  round  him,  be  addrt^sses  them  in  terms  simi- 
lar to  tiiose  in  which  bis  divine  Redeemer  consoled 
his  afflicted  Apostles,  when  he  told  I  hem  that  be  was 
going  to  prepare  a  place  for  them,  that  where  be  was 
they  also  might  be.  After  a  few  more  years,  says  the 
just  man  to  his  weeping  friends,  alter  a  few  more  years 
spent  faithfully  by  you  in  the  service  of  your  Creator, 
we  siiall  again  meet  in  unchangeable  and  never  ending 
bliss. — Thus  does  the  just  man  part  from  all  that  is 
most  dear  to  him:  thus  does  be  quit  this  life;  a  life 
which  he  has  ever  regarded  in  its  true  light,  as  a  pas- 
sage to  eternity. 

Ilavnig  employed  the  few  short  years  of  his  mortal 
existence  in  the  faithful  discharge  of  bis  duty,  when 
he  finds  himself  drawing  near  to  the  crown  of  his 
labours,  he  welcomes  with  joy  the  happy  moment  of 
his  dissolution,  makes  a  willing  sacrifice  of  bis  expir- 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  257 

ing  breath,  and  cries  out  with  his  dying  Redeemer, 
"Father,  into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit."  .Does 
the  devil  attempt  to  disturb  the  peace  of  his  soul,  by 
bringing  to  his  recollection  the  faults  and  imperfections 
of  his  past  life?  These  he  has  long  been  labouring  to 
expiate  by  the  exercise  of  daily  penance,  by  humble 
prayer,  by  patience  in  sickness  and  affliction,  by 
frequent  confession  and  communion  in  a  spirit  of  love 
and  repentance,  by  assisting  with  devotion  at  the  holy 
sacrifice  of  the  altar,  and  by  charity  to  the  poor. 
Does  the  tempter  endeavour  to  seduce  him,  by  instil- 
ling into  his  mind  thoughts  of  pride  or  vanity.-*  He 
fights  the  enemy  with  the  same  weapons  with  which 
he  has  always  vanquished  him — humility  and  prayer, 
Sensible  of  his  own  nothingness  and  unworthiness,  he 
flies  for  refuge  to  the  wounds  of  his  dying  Saviour,  to 
be  washed  in  them  from  every  defilement  of  sin,  and 
fitted  for  his  admission  into  the  blessed  abode  of  inno- 
cence and  peace.  Thus,  with  regard  to  the  just  man, 
death  is  truly  without  a  sting:  the  thoughts  of  quitting 
the  world  and  its  enjoyments  bring  no  cause  for  regret 
or  uneasiness  to  the  dying  Saint. 

But  is  not  he  uneasy  or  alarmed  at  the  near  pros- 
pect of  that  eternity  into  which  he  is  entering.-'  My 
beloved  brethren,  have  you  ever  beheld  the  counte- 
nance of  a  prisoner,  when  after  a  long  confinement  in 
a  lonesome  dungeon  he  is  restored  to  his  liberty?  Have 
you  seen  the  sailor,  after  being  tossed  for  months  upon 
the  boisterous  ocean,  entering  the  long  wished-for 
harbour,  and  landing  on  his  native  shore?  Have  you 
beheld  the  soldier,  after  many  years  of  separation  from 
his  kindred  and  friends,  at  length  escaping  from  the 
fatigues  and  dangers  of  war,  and  returning  home  to 
repose  ia  the  bosom  of  his  family?  Was  fear,  or  dis- 
quiet, or  uneasiness,  visible  in  the  countenance  of  any 
one  of  these?  Were  they  not  all  joy?  Did  they  not 
seem  transported  with  gladnessi* — Yet,  all  their  joy 
was  but  a  faint  image  of  that  sweet  tranquillity  of 
22* 


858  TWENTY-SEVENTH   HOMILY  ON 

mind,  thai  triumphant  joy  and  exultation  which  fill 
the  soul,  and  often  display  themselves  in  the  counte- 
nance ol  the  just  man  at  the  near  prospect  ofeteinity. 
He  beholds  himself  at  the  term  of  his  labours  and  his 
conflicts;  he  reflects  with  pleasure  on  the  storms  and 
peri's  from  which  he  has  esca[)ed,  in  sailing  through 
the  troubled  ocean  of  this  life-,  liis  soul  conte:i  j)lates 
with  joy  the  happy  moment  which  is  to  release  it  from 
its  long  confinement  in  the  piison  of  tiie  body,  and 
call  it  to  an  eternal  repose  in  the  bosom  of  its  Father 
and  its  God.  He  heais  the  beloved  of  his  soul,  his 
divine  Redeemer,  address  him  in  the  language  oi  the 
heavenly  spouse:  "the  winter  is  now  past,  the  storm 
is  over  and  gone,  arise,  my  beloved,  and  come." 
Cant.  ii.  10.  He  answers  the  sweet  invitation  in  the 
words  of  the  Psalmist:  Pslam  cxxi.  i.  "I  rejoice  at 
the  things  that  are  said  to  me,  we  shall  go  into  the 
house  of  the  Lord." — Psalm  Ixxxiii.  '"Blessed  are 
they  who  dwell  in  thy  house,  O  Lord,  they  shall  praise 
thee  for  ever  ar.d  ever." 

But,  is  not  God  infinite  in  his  justice,  no  less  than  in 
his  mercy?  Is  not  sin  the  object  of  his  infinite  and 
eternal  hatred.''  Has  the  just  man  never  during  his 
life  incurred  the  displeasure  of  his  God,  or  provoked 
his  justice  by  sin.''  Has  he  no  alarm  or  uneasiness  on 
this  account? — No,  my  beloved  brethren,  all  this  serves 
indeed  to  keep  him  from  ihat  false  security,  that  fatal 
presumption,  which  is  the  ruin  of  thousands.  It  fills 
him  with  a  proper  degree  of  that  humble  Christian 
fear  which  is  ever  united  with  a  strong  confidence  in 
God.  The  just  man  knows,  from  divine  faith,  that 
during  this  life  no  man,  however  virtuous,  can  be  fully 
certain  that  he  is  just  in  the  sight  of  God.  "Man," 
says  the  Holy  Ghost,  "knoweth  not  whether  he  be 
worthy  of  love  or  hatred."  Eccles.  ix.  1.  But  the 
just  man  feels  within  himself  a  strong  and  lively  hope, 
that  as  he  has  daily  laboured  to  walk  with  fidelity  in 
the  path  of  God's  commandments,  and  to  blot  out  his 


THE  BOOK  OF  TOBIAS.  259 

faults  by  tears  of  Inie  repentance,  the  merits  of  the 
passion  and  death  of  liis  Saviour  have  scaled  his  par- 
don, and  seciued  him  a  place  in  the  divine  lavour. 
The  nearer  he  appioaches  to  the  hour  of  his  death, 
the  more  ahiindaul  are  his  tears;  the  more  heartily 
does  he  detest  his  sins,  the  more  fervent  are  his  sup- 
plications for  mercy.  i  he  priest,  the  minister  of  re- 
conciliation and  i)eace,  and  dispenser  of  the  mysteries, 
of  God,  enters  the  chamber  of  the  dying  Saint,  and 
presents  to  him  the  image  of  his  crucified  Saviour. 
With  what  ardour  does  he  j)ress  it  to  his  lips!  how 
lovingly  does  he  embrace  it!  With  what  humility  and 
compunction  does  he  confess  to  Ins  spiritual  physician 
the  frailties  and  imperfections  of  his  past  lilt!  And 
when  the  minister  of  God  pronounces  in  his  favour 
the  sacred  sentence  of  absolution',  what  faith,  what 
hope.,  what  humble  contrition  is  painted  in  the  counte- 
nance of  the  dying  Saint! 

But  who  can  express  the  raptures  of  love  and  joy 
which  fill  his  soul,  when  the  priest  presents  to  him  the 
victim  of  his  redem[)tion,  and  the  pledge  of  his  salva- 
tion— the  body  and  blood  of  his  dearest  Saviour?  O, 
my  Redeemer,  he  cries  out,  now  tliat  thou  givest  rae 
thyself,  one  thing  will  I  ask  of  thee,  this  will  I  beg  of 
thee,  that  i  may  dwell  in  thy  house  for  ever,  and  that 
I  may  sing  thy  praises  for  endless  ages! — Strengthened 
with  this  divine  food,  how  fervently  does  he  unite  his 
prayers  witli  those  which  the  minister  of  God  pours 
forth,  while  he  administers  the  sacrament  of  Extreme 
Unction,  the  last  anointing,  by  which  his  work  of  re- 
pentance is  co'isummated,  his  preparation  for  death  is 
made  perfect,  and  his  passage  into  eternity  is  rendered 
safe  and  secure!  Thus  armed,  what  has  he  to  fear? 
The  infernal  spirit  can  have  no  power  over  him;  God 
who  has  adopted  him  for  his  child,  is  his  comforter 
and  protector;  Jesus  Christ  has  taken  up  his  abode  in 
him;  the  Holy  Ghost  dwells  in  him  as  in  his  temple, 
and  the  Angels  of  God  encamp  round  about  him. 


260  TWENTY-SEVENTH  HOMILY  ON 

At  length,  however,  the  moment  of  his  final  sacrfice 
arrives,  and  the  agonies  of  death  seize  upon  him.  He 
summons  all  his  strength  to  pronounce  once  more  with 
ardent  love  the  sacred  name  of  Jesus,  gives  one  more 
longing  look  for  immortality,  and  expires.  Thus  does 
the  just  man  die;  or  rather,  thus  does  he  triumph  over 
death,  thus  does  he  begin  to  live  eternally.  His  guar- 
dian Angel,  who  had  received  his  expiring  breath,  con- 
ducts his  soul  to  the  happy  company  of  the  Saints, 
where  he  beholds  his  God  face  to  face,  is  inebriated 
with  a  torrent  of  delights,  is  instantly  and  eternally 
happy.  Oh!  who  will  not  cry  out  with  Balaam,  "Let 
my  soul  die  the  death  of  the  just,  and  my  last  end  be 
like  unto  theirs."     Num.  xxiii.  10. 

My  beloved  brethren,  to  die  the  death  of  the  just, 
you  must  first  live  the  life  of  the  just.  Death  is  terri- 
ble to  none  but  the  wicked  and  the  lovers  of  this 
world.  Disengage  then  your  hearts  from  the  world 
and  its  sinful  follies,  and  fix  them  upon  eternity.  Let 
it  be  your  chief  and  greatest  concern  to  labour  in 
earnest  for  the  salvation  of  your  souls.  Fly  from  sin 
and  the  company  of  sinners.  Place  the  hour  of  your 
death  daily  before  your  eyes,  and  meditate  on  the 
consolations  which  attend  the  death  of  the  just.  Do 
penance  every  day  for  past  faults;  the  rich,  by  acts  of 
charity  to  the  distressed,  and  by  the  mortification  of 
yourselves  in  point  of  dress,  company,  and  amuse- 
ment; the  poor,  by  performing  your  daily  labour  in  a 
spirit  of  penance,  offering  it  up  to  God,  and  doing  it 
because  it  is  his  will.  Be  regular  and  fervent  in  the 
duty  of  prayer,  each  morning  and  evening;  assist 
often  with  respect  and  devotion  at  the  holy  sacrifice  of 
the  altar,  and  unite  the  sacrifice  of  your  life  and  death 
with  that  of  your  Saviour.  By  frequent  confession, 
purify  your  souls  from  the  stains  of  sin;  and  by  often 
approaching  to  the  holy  communion,  secure  to  your- 
selves those  treasures  of  grace  which  Jesus  has  left 
you  in  the  sacrament  of  his  body  and  blood.     Whilst 


THE  BOOK  OF    TOBIAS.  261 

you  have  time,  do  good  to  all  men,  practising  towards 
all  in  distress  the  works  of  mercy,  corporal  and  spir- 
itual, Be  honest  and  just  in  all  your  dealings.  Faith- 
fully discharge  your  respective  duties,  as  husbands  or 
wives,  parents  or  children,  masters  or  servants.  Walk 
always  in  the  presence  of  God.  and  direct  all  your  ac- 
tions to  his  glory.  Beg  daily  the  intercession  of  our 
blessed  Lady  for  the  grace  of  a  happy  deatli,  address- 
ing to  her  that  humble  supplication  of  the  (/hurch  of 
God,  "Holy  Mary,  mother  of  God,  pray  for  us  sin- 
ners now  and  in  the  hour  of  our  death.  Amen."  Let 
these,  and  the  like  exercises  of  piety,  be  the  daily 
practice  of  your  lives;  thus,  my  beloved  brethren,  you 
will  live  the  life  of  the  just,  thus  will  you  have  a  well- 
grounded  hope  tiiat  you  will  die  the  death  of  the  just, 
and  with  the  just  reign  for  ever  in  the  kingdom  of 
your  Father. 


SUBJECTS  OF  THE  HOMILIES. 


FIRST    HOMILY. 

Pi.OI 

Early  piety — strong  faith— obedience  to  the  Church — laws  regarding  first 
fruits  and  tithes — functions  of  pastors— their  support,  -       -        -        14 

SECOND    HOMILY. 
Duties  of  parents — Toliias  their  model,    -------21 

THIRD    HOMILY. 
Conduct  of  Tobias  in  captivity— meats  forbidden  by  the  Jewish  law — 
Eleazar — precepts  of  the  Catholic  Church — their  design — necessity  of 
peuance — fasting    and    abstinence — Tobias    enjoys   the    favour    of 
Salmanasar,         --_-_------        30 

FOURTH    HOMILY. 
Tobias  befriends  Gabelus— order  of  chanty— persecution  of  Tobias  by 
Seimacherib— the  latter  invades  J  uda;a— destruction  of  his  army— his 
flight— vents   his  rage   upon  the  captive  Israelites— Tobias  conceals 
himself— deatii  of  Sennacherib,    --------40 

FIFTH    HOMILY. 
Festivals  of  the  Old  Law— Feasts  of  the  Christian  Church— obligations 
on  festival  days— example  of  Tobias,  and  its  influence— I'obias  leaves 
his  dinner  aid  friends  and  buries  the  dead,        -----        50 

SIXTH    HOMILY. 
Danger  of  human  respects— firmness  of  Tobias— his  blindness— design  of 
Providence  in  tliis   affliction— Tobias   forsaken   by  his   friends— his 
patience,       -----------        -61 

SEVENTH    HOMILY. 
Poverty    of     Tobias— strict    justice— carnal  minded    Jews— lukewarm 

Christians,     -        -----.-----72 

EIGHTH     HOMILY. 

Character  of  Anna  the  wife  of  Tobias— dangers  of  wicked  company,    -        81 

NINTH    HOMILY. 

Prayer  of  Tobias— obligation  of  prayer— fatal  consequences  of  neglecting 
prayer— humble  dispositions  of  Tobias,        ------        91 

TENTH    HOMILY. 

Persecution  of  Sarah,  the  daughter  of  Raguel— her  prayer— dispositions 
in  which  we  ought  to  pray,      --  ------lOO 

ELEVENTH    HOMILY. 
Confidence  of  Sarah  in  divine  Providence— her  purity— fata!  effects  of 
inipurity--humility  of  Sarah— her  prayer  accepted— offices  of  the  holy 
Angels— Angel  Guardians,     -        --        ------109 

TWELFTH    HOMILY. 
Tobias  prepares  for  death — gives  directions  for  his  funeral— instructions 
to  his  son — duties  of  children — presence  of  God— alms-deeds— obliga- 
tion of  giving  alms,  --.  ..         ..-UH 

THIRTEENTH    HOMILY. 
Advantages  of  alms-deeds— enormity  of  pride,  and  its  effects — rule  of 
Christian  justice— doctrine  of  a  middle  state — different  counsels  of 
Tobias  to  his  son,      ----------      127 


181 


264  SUBJECTS  OF  THE  HOMILIES. 

PAOB 

FOUHTEENTH    HOMILY. 

Tobias  settles  liis  temporal  coiicenis--(lirects  liis  son  to  go  lo  Gabelus,  in 
erderto  iijcover  llie  iiioiicy  lent  to  liiin— liie  yoiiii;!  Tol)ias  nieeis  wiili 
an  Angel,  who   umlciiakcs  to  be  iiis  guide,       -----      i3fl 

IIKTEr.NTH     HOMILY. 

Contrast  of  Anna  and  Tobias— the  yoMnc  Tobias  sets  out  on  Iiis  journey 
—his  da'.iger  I'roni  a  monstrous  Hsh — directions  of  the  Angel  to  liiiii 
respecting  liis  marriage,       --.---,.-      144 

SIXTIiENlH    HOMILY. 

The  young  Tobias  and  1  he  Angel  entertained  by  Raguel— influence  of 
good  example — obligation  of  giving  it,       -        -        -         -        .        .       J54 

Sl!:VENTEENTH      HOMILY. 

Proposal  of  the  young  Tobias  to  Raguel— institution  of  marriage— its 
lioliness— a  sacrament  of  the  Aew  Law-preparation  for  it,        -        -      ICa 

KIGHrEEVTlI      HOMILY. 
Consent  of  Raguel— his  obedienre  to  the  Angel—solemnity  of  the  mar- 
riage ceremimies  in  the  Catholic  Church — duties  of  married  persons- 
marriage  feast,     -----------171 

KINETEEXTH    HOMILY. 
Conductof  the  young  Tobias  to  Sarah  on  their  marriage— their  prayer- 
fears  of  Raguel— liis  joy—his  gratitude,        ------ 

IWEVTIIiTII      HOMILY. 
Gratitude  of  the  young  Tobias-  blessings  of  God  to  us— motives  for  our 
gratitude— creation--pieservation— vocation    to     the    true    faith— the 
Angel  goes  to  Gabeliis--Gabelusa  model  of  strict  justice— he  comes  to 
tlie  marriage  feast,       ---------       -jyo 

TWEN'TY-FIRST     HOMILY. 

Affliction  of  the  elder  Tobias  and  his  u  ifr  at  the  absence  of  their  son- 
difference  of  'heir  principles— ilie  young  Tobias  and  his  wife  take 
leave  of  Raguel—advice  of  Kagu.-i  and  Anna  to  their  daughter— true 
sanctity,       -        -----------      199 

TWENTY-SECOVD  HOMILY. 
Raphael's  advice  to  the  young  'I'obias— attention  of  the  first  Christians 
to  frequent  prayer,  and  the  use  of  the  sign  of  the  cross--an,\iety  of 
Tobias's  moiher—tiUeliiy  of  i he  dog-joy  of  the  aged  i)arents  on  the 
return  of  tlieir  son— the  e  der  Tobias  restored  to  sight— miracles 
wrought  by  Gud  in  favour  of  bis  Church,     --.--.      oQg 

TWENTY-THIRD    HOMILY. 
Gratitude  of  the  elder  Tobias— the  Angel   discovers  himself— humility 
and  thanksgiving  of  this  I'.oly  family, \    -      217 

TWEMTY-FOUr?TH     HOMILY. 

Canticle  of  Tobias— admirable  views  of  Providence,       ....      22O 

TWENTY-FIFTH     HOMILY. 
Prophecy  of  Tobias— restoration  of  the  Jews--establishtrent  and  propa- 
gation of  the  Christian  (yjiurcli-condemnation  of  the  enemies  of  the 
Church, 235 

TWENTY-SIXTH     HOMILY. 
Happy  old  age  of  Tobias--other  prophecies-  his  last  instructions  to  his 
family— his  death, 244 

TWEVTY-SEVEXTH    HOMILY. 

On  the  deatli  of  the  just, ,       .       .       .       .      253 


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